EPA Unveils 14 New Ecolabels to Enhance Sustainable Federal Procurement

• The EPA wants to add 14 new ecolabels and criteria to government procurement to help with sustainability.
• The updates concentrate on growing the areas of food service ware, clothes, labs, and healthcare supplies.
• Regulations.gov will accept public comments on the proposal for a period of thirty days.

Updates to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing have been suggested. The purpose of these improvements is to make it easier for federal government purchasers to find more environmentally friendly and sustainable items. Buyers can use the EPA’s recommendations as a tool to make use of standards and ecolabels from the private sector that promote environmentally friendly product choices.

This is the first time the EPA has thoroughly examined these criteria in almost a decade. The suggested modifications make it easier to identify goods that reduce pollution from single-use plastics and PFAS, employ cleaner chemicals, and preserve resources. The federal government can avoid pollution, lessen its influence on the climate, and save taxpayer money by doing this.

Key Updates Include:

• New Product Categories: The EPA is planning to include ecolabels for apparel and uniforms, labs, and healthcare.
• Increased Food Service Warehouse Subcategory: Three new criteria pertaining to recyclable, compostable, and reusable items are planned by the EPA.
• Elimination of Ecolabels: It is possible for seven standards and ecolabels to be eliminated if they no longer fulfill regulatory requirements, are terminated, or fail to meet new standards. 

In product areas such as food service ware, where the extension of available standards will encourage a wider selection of ecologically friendly solutions, the revised Recommendations will offer government purchasers more precise direction. More than $700 billion was spent on federal procurement last year, and it is thought to be a key factor in the advancement of sustainability.