Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing
The Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels ("Recommendations") help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally preferable products and services which in turn, helps to meet their sustainability goals and requirements. The U.S. federal government is the single largest purchaser in the world spending more than $650 billion on products and services each year and, in leading by example, has the power to catalyze a more sustainable marketplace for all - reducing climate impacts, improving the health of frontline communities, preventing pollution, and increasing U.S. industry competitiveness.
The Recommendations leverage private sector approaches to defining and measuring sustainability by including over 40 private sector standards/ecolabels in 25 purchase categories. The Recommendations give preference to multi-attribute/life-cycle based standards/ecolabels that address key impact areas (aka hotspots) and where product conformance is determined by a competent third-party certification body. The full list of Recommendations is also available as a PDF (updated January 2021).
Inclusion in the Recommendations is not an endorsement by EPA of the standards/ecolabels or of any of the products conformant to these standards/ecolabels, but rather a statement that the standard/ecolabel meets EPA’s Guidelines.
- Cafeteria
- Construction
- Custodial
- Electronics
- Computers: Desktops, Notebooks (including 2-in-1 notebooks), Displays, Integrated Desktop Computers, Workstation Desktops, Thin Clients, and Slates/Tablets
- Electronics Recycling Services
- Imaging Equipment: Printers, Copiers, Multi-Function Devices, Scanners, Fax Machines, Digital Duplicators, Mailing Machines
- Mobile Phones
- Servers
- Televisions
- Grounds/Landscaping
- Machine Shop Operations
- Office/Furniture