8A.315 State purchases — recycled products — soybean-based inks.

1. When purchasing paper products other than printing and writing paper, the department shall, when the price is reasonably competitive and the quality as intended, purchase the recycled product. The department shall also purchase, when the price is reasonably competitive and the quality as intended, and in keeping with the schedule established in this subsection, soybean-based inks and plastic products with recycled content including but not limited to plastic garbage can liners.

a. One hundred percent of the purchases of inks which are used for newsprint printing services performed internally or contracted for by the department shall be soybean-based.

b. One hundred percent of the purchases of inks, other than inks which are used for newsprint printing services, and which are used internally or contracted for by the department, shall be soybean-based to the extent formulations for such inks are available.

c. A minimum of fifty percent of the purchases of garbage can liners made by the department shall be plastic garbage can liners with recycled content.

d. For purposes of this subsection, “recycled content” means that the content of the product contains a minimum of thirty percent postconsumer material.

2. a. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the department shall purchase and use recycled printing and writing paper so that ninety percent of the volume of printing and writing paper purchased is recycled paper. The recycled printing and writing paper shall meet the requirements for procuring recycled printing and writing paper set forth in

40 C.F.R. pt. 247

, and in related recovered materials advisory notices issued by the United States environmental protection agency.

b. The department shall establish a prioritization procedure for the purchase of recycled paper which provides for a five percent differential in the cost of the purchase of paper which has been recycled through the use of a nonchlorinated process.

c. If a provision under this subsection results in the limitation of sources for the purchase of printing and writing paper to three or fewer sources, the department may waive the requirement in order to purchase necessary amounts of printing and writing paper.

d. Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection regarding the purchase of recycled printing and writing paper, the department shall purchase acid-free permanent paper in the amount necessary for the production or reproduction of documents, papers, or similar materials produced or reproduced for permanent preservation pursuant to law.

e. Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection regarding the purchase of recycled printing and writing paper, the department may purchase printing and writing paper in lieu of recycled paper if the department determines that the purchase will result in significant savings to the state.

3. The department, in conjunction with the department of natural resources, shall review the procurement specifications currently used by the state to eliminate, wherever possible, discrimination against the procurement of products manufactured with recovered materials and soybean-based inks.

4. The department of natural resources shall assist the department in locating suppliers of recycled products and soybean-based inks and collecting data on recycled content and soybean-based ink purchases.

5. Information on recycled content shall be requested on all bids for paper products other than printing and writing paper issued by the state and on other bids for products which could have recycled content such as oil, plastic products, including but not limited to compost materials, aggregate, solvents, soybean-based inks, and rubber products. Except for purchases of printing and writing paper made pursuant to subsection 2, paragraphs “c”, “d”, and “e”, the department shall require persons submitting bids for printing and writing paper to certify that the printing and writing paper proposed complies with the requirements referred to in subsection 2, paragraph “a”.

6. The department, in conjunction with the department of natural resources, shall adopt rules to administer this section.

7. All state agencies shall fully cooperate with the department and with the department of natural resources in all phases of implementing this section.

8. The department, whenever technically feasible, shall purchase and use degradable loose foam packing material manufactured from grain starches or other renewable resources, unless the cost of the packing material is more than ten percent greater than the cost of packing material made from nonrenewable resources. For the purposes of this subsection, “packing material” means material, other than an exterior packing shell, that is used to stabilize, protect, cushion, or brace the contents of a package.

2003 Acts, ch 145, §34; 2004 Acts, ch 1101, §6; 2011 Acts, ch 127, §34, 89; 2014 Acts, ch 1036, §6; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §1

Referred to in §8A.315A, 8A.317, 216B.3, 262.9, 307.21