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Chemical and Resource Management Services (CRMS)
Chemical and Resource Management Services (CRMS) has two components:
- Chemical Management Services (CMS) - a business
model in which a customer purchases chemical services rather than
just chemicals. This typically involves a long-term contract for provision
of chemicals and assistance with associated management services (e.g.
chemical tracking, chemical substitute research, regulatory compliance).
The chemical service provider is compensated based on the quality
and quantity of services provided that reduce chemical life cycle
costs, risks, and environmental impacts, not on the volume of chemicals
sold.
- Resource Management Services (RMS) - providers
haul waste and recycled goods, and also help adjust upstream activities
to reduce the amount of material entering the waste stream.
Organizations that have incorporated resource management with chemical management experience reduced chemical usage, reduced waste generation, enhanced recycling, and improved compliance. In a K-12 setting, the benefits of Chemical and Resource Management Services (CRMS) may contribute to a healthy school environment that helps reduce sick days and enhance learning while reducing school operating costs.
For more information on how you can use CMS please visit EPA's Waste Minimization - Chemical Management Systems Web site.
Innovative Pilot
EPA supported an innovative pilot with the Lansing Public School District (Michigan), combining Chemical and Resource Management Services (CRMS) to improve chemical and waste management in schools. Rather than placing additional burden on teachers and other school personnel, CRMS uses suppliers and their expertise to achieve comprehensive, long-term, cost-effective improvements. CMS and RM are preference based contracts where suppliers (or service providers), under performance-based contracts, transform from product sellers to product service providers.For Lansing, all their chemical and waste management is handled under a single contract using the service provider's expertise to improve chemical and waste management without additional cost to Lansing. The contract contains provisions that ensure continual improvement and environmental gains. General Motors, Chemical Strategies Partnership, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and EPA partnered to make this pilot a success. For more information please read the Lansing K-12 School District: Chemical and Resource Management Services (CRMS) Case Study (PDF) (15 pp, 264K, about PDF)
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