Landscape Materials

Green purchasing guidance for landscape materials, including:

Plants
Grasses
Trees
Flowers
Compost
Mulch

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

RCW 43.19A: Recycled Product Procurement set a goal of substantially increasing the state’s purchases of recycled-content products, directs the state to set recycled-content standards, and authorizes state agencies to specify, give priority to and offer price preferences for products that contain recycled materials.
Recycled Content Purchasing Preference Policy (POL-DES-255-00) states, “In establishing environmental requirements and preferences for products that contain recycled materials, agencies shall reference the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (EPA CPGs) as the minimum standards for the state of Washington.”
Bidders shall offer, to the greatest extent practicable, landscaping products that meet the U.S. EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for Landscaping Products, which recommend compost and mulch made of yard and food waste, manure and other organic materials; and hydraulic mulch made from 100% post-consumer recycled content paper.

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

RCW 39.26.280: Preference—Products and Products in Packaging That Do Not Contain Polychlorinated Biphenyls prohibits state agencies from knowingly purchasing “products or products in packaging containing polychlorinated biphenyls above the practical quantification limit except when it is not cost-effective or technically feasible to do so.” It also authorizes state agencies to develop policies that offer a bid preference for PCB-free products and packaging.

In addition, DES’ Procurement Preference for Products and Product Packaging that Do Not Contain Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) (POL-DES-280-00) establishes a minimum 5% bid preference authorized in RCW 39.26.280 for bidders that offer products and packaging contain the lowest concentration of PCBs, when tested.

The intent of this policy is to incentivize the state’s contract suppliers to provide products and packaging that do not contain PCBs.
Bidders must avoid offering PCB-containing products and packaging unless there is no cost-effective or technically feasible alternative.
- In such cases, they must identify all products and packaging in their offering that contain PCBs.
- Products and packaging that have been tested and confirmed to have a relatively low concentration of PCBs compared to those offered by other bidders are eligible for a bid preference of at least 5%.
Desirable environmental and health attributes of landscaping materials include:
- Locally sourced mulch, compost, and other landscaping materials.
- Plants that are Washington grown, drought-tolerant, perennial (instead of annual), and certified organic.
- Flowers and shrubs that attract honeybees and other pollinators.
- Fertilizers and pesticides listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) as meeting the USDA’s Organic Standards.
State agencies should offer non-cost points to landscape professionals that:
- Offer products meeting the standards listed above.
- Have earned a third-party certification for Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Things to avoid

Purchasers should avoid these specifications whenever possible:

Bidders must avoid offering PCB-containing products and packaging unless there is no cost-effective or technically feasible alternative.
- In such cases, they must identify all products and packaging in their offering that contain PCBs.

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

Department of Ecology: Dispose, recycle, or treat dangerous waste
Washington Recycles