[Added 6-2-2025 by Ord. No. 25-1846]
Purpose - To establish an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (Green Purchasing) Policy for the Township of Hopewell.
a.
Statement of the policy. It is the policy and practice of the Township of Hopewell to:
1.
Institute practices that reduce waste by increasing product efficiency and effectiveness;
2.
Purchase products that minimize environmental impacts, toxics, pollution, and hazards to worker and community safety to the greatest extent practicable; and
3.
Purchase products that include recycled content, are durable and long-lasting, conserve energy and water, use agricultural fibers and residues, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use unbleached or chlorine-free manufacturing processes, are lead-free and mercury-free, and use wood from sustainably harvested forests (FSC) when and where possible.
b.
Purpose and objectives of the policy.
1.
The goal of this policy is to encourage and increase the use of environmentally preferable products and services in the Township of Hopewell. By including environmental considerations in purchasing decisions, the Township can promote practices that improve public and worker health, conserve natural resources, and reward environmentally conscious manufacturers, while remaining fiscally responsible.
2.
The policy objectives are to:
(a)
Conserve natural resources;
(b)
Minimize environmental impacts such as pollution and use of water and energy;
(c)
Eliminate or reduce toxics that create hazards to workers and our community;
(d)
Support strong recycling markets;
(e)
Reduce materials that are routinely landfilled or disposed of;
(f)
Increase the use and availability of environmentally preferable products that protect the environment;
(g)
Identify environmentally preferable products and associated distribution systems;
(h)
Reward manufacturers and vendors with contracts that reduce environmental impacts in their production and distribution systems or services;
(i)
Collect and maintain up-to-date information regarding manufacturers, vendors, and other sources for locating/ordering environmentally preferable products;
(j)
Create a model for successfully purchasing environmentally preferable products that encourages other purchasers in our community to adopt similar goals; and
(k)
Promote practices that support and sustain healthy communities and social structures.
c.
Implementation and oversight.
1.
The Township shall establish a Green Purchasing Committee composed of representatives from various Township departments, divisions, commissions, committees and volunteer organizations to research, evaluate, and implement the environmental purchasing objectives.
2.
The Committee shall focus its research, evaluation, and implementation of the Green Purchasing Policy in the following areas:
3.
The Committee shall meet annually after implementation to monitor and evaluate the Township's progress in this area.
d.
Specifications.
1.
Source Reduction.
(a)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall institute practices that reduce waste and result in the purchase of fewer products whenever practicable and cost-effective, but without reducing safety or overall workplace quality.
(b)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall purchase remanufactured products such as toner/printer cartridges, retread tires, furniture, equipment, and automotive parts whenever practicable, but without reducing safety, quality, or effectiveness.
(c)
All buyers shall consider short-term and long-term costs in comparing product alternatives, when feasible. This includes evaluation of total costs expected during the lifetime of the product.
(d)
Products that are durable, long-lasting, reusable, or refillable shall be preferred whenever available and practicable.
(e)
The Township requests vendors to eliminate excess packaging or to utilize the minimum amount necessary for product protection, to the greatest extent practicable.
(f)
Suppliers of electronic equipment shall be required to take back equipment for reuse or environmentally safe recycling when the Township discards or replaces such equipment, whenever and where practicable.
(g)
All documents shall be printed in black and white and photocopied on both sides (duplex) to reduce the use and purchase of photocopy paper, and equipment shall be programmed for energy savings mode when not in use, whenever and where practicable.
2.
Recycled Content Products.
(a)
All products for which the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established minimum recycled content standard guidelines shall contain the highest postconsumer content practicable to the application, but no less than the minimum recycled content standards established by the U.S. EPA Guidelines.
(b)
Photocopiers and printers purchased or leased by the Township shall be compatible with the use of recycled content and remanufactured products.
(c)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall purchase re-refined lubricating and industrial oil for use in its vehicles and other motorized equipment, as long as it is certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API) as appropriate for use in such equipment.
(d)
When specifying asphalt concrete, aggregate base, or Portland Cement Concrete for road construction projects, the Township shall utilize recycled, reusable, or reground materials when and where practicable.
(e)
All pre-printed recycled content papers intended for distribution that are purchased or produced shall contain a statement that the paper is recycled content of a minimum of 30% recycled postconsumer content.
3.
Energy and Water Savings.
(a)
Where applicable, energy-efficient equipment shall be purchased with the most up-to-date energy efficiency functions.
(b)
When practicable, the Township shall replace inefficient interior lighting with energy-efficient equipment and bulbs.
(c)
When practicable, the Township shall replace inefficient exterior lighting, street lighting, and traffic signal lights with energy-efficient equipment and bulbs.
(d)
All products purchased by the Township and for which the U.S. EPA Energy Star certification is available shall meet Energy Star certification, when practicable and available.
(e)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall purchase water-saving/conservation products, including high-performance fixtures such as toilets, low-flow faucets, and aerators, and upgraded landscape irrigation systems.
4.
Information Technology Products and Services.
(a)
To the extent practicable, all IT products purchased by the Township including personal computers, notebook computers, tablets, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners, MFDs, fax machines, televisions, mobile phones, and servers shall meet at least the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Bronze rating level.
5.
Toxics and Pollution.
(a)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall purchase, or require janitorial contractors to supply, industrial and institutional cleaning products that meet and/or exceed the Green Seal Certification Standards for environmental preferability and performance.
(b)
The use of chlorofluorocarbon, Halon, and Freon containing refrigerants, solvents, and other products shall be phased out and new purchases of heating/ventilating/air conditioning, refrigeration, insulation, and fire suppression systems shall not contain them.
(c)
All surfactants and detergents shall be readily biodegradable and, where practicable, shall not contain phosphates.
(d)
When maintaining buildings, the Township shall utilize products with the lowest amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), highest recycled content, and low or no formaldehyde or lead where practicable.
6.
Forest Conservation.
(a)
To the extent practicable, the Township shall not procure wood products such as lumber and paper that originate from forests harvested in an environmentally unsustainable manner.
(b)
When practicable, the Township shall give preference to wood products that are certified to be sustainably harvested by a comprehensive, performance-based certification system with standards equivalent to, or stricter than, those of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
7.
Bio-Based Products.
(a)
Vehicle fuels made from non-wood, plant-based contents such as vegetable oils are encouraged whenever practicable and available.
(b)
Paper and construction products made from non-wood, plant-based contents such as agricultural crops and residues are encouraged whenever practicable.
(c)
Bio-based plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable are encouraged whenever practicable.
e.
Priorities.
1.
The health and safety of workers and citizens is of the utmost importance and takes precedence over all other policies and practices.
2.
The Township has made significant investments in developing a successful recycling system and recognizes that recycled content products are essential to the continuing viability of that recycling system.
3.
Nothing contained in this policy shall be construed as requiring a department, purchaser, or contractor to procure products that do not perform adequately for their intended use, exclude adequate competition, or are not available at a reasonable price in a reasonable period of time.
4.
Nothing contained in this policy shall be construed as requiring the Township, department, purchaser, or contractor to take any action that conflicts with local, state, or federal requirements.
f.
Implementation of the policy.
1.
The Business Administrator, Purchasing Manager/Agent, Director of Finance, Director of Public Works, and other responsible directors/managers shall implement this policy in coordination with other appropriate Township personnel.
2.
As applicable, successful bidders shall certify in writing that the environmental attributes claimed in competitive bids are accurate. In compliance with New Jersey State Law, vendors shall be required to specify the minimum or actual percentage of recovered and postconsumer material in their products, even when such percentages are zero.
3.
Upon request, buyers making the selection from competitive bids shall be able to provide justification for product choices that do not meet the environmentally preferable purchasing criteria in this policy.
4.
Vendors, contractors, and grantees shall be encouraged to comply with applicable sections of this policy for products and services provided to the Township, where practicable.
g.
Program benchmarking, reporting, and updates. The Business Administrator, Purchasing Manager/Agent, Director of Finance, the Committee, and other positions responsible for implementing this policy, shall establish green purchasing goals, identify the current baseline on which to measure progress, develop a green purchasing recordkeeping system to document progress, and publicize and reward departments that excel in their green purchasing efforts. They shall periodically meet and evaluate and recommend updates to assure the success of this policy's implementation.
h.
Severability. If any section, paragraph, subdivision, clause, or provision of this section shall be adjudged invalid, such adjudication shall apply only to the section, paragraph, subdivision, clause, or provision and the remainder of this section shall be deemed valid and effective.