Title
a. Adopt the updated Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy which will replace the Climate Friendly Purchasing policy in the Board Policy manual and includes requirements for County compliance with SB1383.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors
a) Adopt the updated Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy which will replace the Climate Friendly Purchasing policy in the Board Policy manual and includes requirements for County compliance with SB1383.
SUMMARY:
The County adopted a Climate Friendly Purchasing Policy which contained several programs for sustainable purchasing. This policy was updated to reflect the requirements of SB1383 and to outline roles and responsibilities for compliance. Specifically, SB1383 requires the County to purchase recycled paper and recovered organic waste products. The policy was re-termed the Environmentally Friendly Purchasing Policy (EPPP) to align with CalRecycle’s terminology.
DISCUSSION:
The updated EPPP contains 4 sections related to sustainable Purchasing including: 1. The Climate-Friendly Solicitation Program; 2. The Recycled and/or Refurbished Office Products Program; 3. Recovered Organic Waste Product Procurement Program; and 4. Green Buildings Program which requires all new County buildings to be built to CalGreen Tier 1 standards. Although the County’s Climate Friendly Purchasing policy was advanced, it did not contain provisions for SB1383, the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Act and needed to be updated.
This bill requires the County to procure recovered organic waste products for use, sale, or giveaway in the amount of .08 tons per person. County population is determined by the most recent annual data reported by the California Department of Finance. Examples of recovered organic waste product include renewable gas as either electricity, heating, or transportation fuel, and compost or electricity from biomass. The County will likely comply with this through compost purchase.
The bill also requires the County to purchase recycled products instead of nonrecycled products whenever recycled products are available at the same or a lesser total cost than nonrecycled items. Consistent with the requirements of SB1383, all paper products and printing and writing paper shall contain a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content. Staff has been working with our major paper vendors to ensure that County paper purchases default to this type of paper for ease of implementation. Also, the Sustainability program has created an employee training for compliance with this bill and to educate staff involved in purchasing on the elements of sustainable purchasing.
The update to the EPPP was completed by the Sustainability Program in concert with Environmental Health and Contracts Purchasing and reflects the requirements of SB1383 on the County. Contracts Purchasing and Environmental Health have both reviewed and approved of this policy, however, all departments at the County have a role and responsibility in ensuring compliance with SB1383.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
SB1383 legislation and/or this policy was reviewed and/or contributed to by the following departments or divisions: Environmental Health, Facilities, ITD, Fleet Management, Social Services, Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, Parks Department, Purchasing, and Finance. All departments as well as the County Board of Supervisors have received briefings on SB1383 and County compliance.
FINANCING:
Staff is not requesting funding to implement this policy, but it is expected that the cost of compliance with SB1383 will be significant to the County. For instance, the County is required to procure 8,540 tons of compost, based on reported population data from the California Department of Finance of the unincorporated area for 2021.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
SB1383 is a state law that the County is required to comply with. The implementation of SB1383 will result in infrastructure upgrades and significant reductions in emissions at the County level as it will decrease emissions from landfills substantially.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
_X_ Administration
_X_Health & Human Services
_X_ Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Ashley Paulsworth, Sustainability Program Manager, x 5344
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer, Ext. 5145
Attachments:
Staff Report
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy
Climate Friendly Purchasing Policy