"Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition"

"Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition" is one in a series of environmental executive orders signed by former President Clinton. EO 13101 incorporates section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6962) to direct Federal agencies to purchase products that are manufactured using recycled content materials. It also instructs Federal agencies to procure products and services that are environmentally preferable ("...products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose"). In addition, the Executive Order directs the General Services Administration (GSA) and other executive branch agencies to include environmental and recycling provisions of the Order in the acquisition and management of Federally-owned and leased space.

EO 13101 directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and maintain a list of products that can be manufactured using recycled content materials. These 54 items are listed in eight general categories, such as Paper and Paper Office Products, Nonpaper Office Products and Landscaping Products in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG).

The AbilityOne® Program furnishes CPG compliant paper and paper office products to Federal customers. In addition, AbilityOne service contracts, such as janitorial, grounds maintenance, pest control and food service can include the use of environmentally preferable chemicals and CPG compliant paper supplies while also meeting contract price, performance and availability requirements.