2000 Buy-Recycled Series

Transportation Products

United States 

Environmental Protection 

Agency

EPA530-F-00-015

April 2000

www.epa.gov/cpg

Solid Waste

and Emergency Response

(5306W)

The road is clear for buying recycledcontent products, and many agencies are moving into high gear!

Transportation officials around the country

are reporting that recycled-content safety

cones, traffic barricades, traffic control

devices, and parking stops deliver high performance and cut installation and maintenance costs. 

To make it easier to buy recycled, the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) updates the Comprehensive Procurement

Guidelines (CPG) every 2 years. Through the CPG, EPA designates

items that must contain recycled materials when purchased by federal, state, and local agencies, or by government contractors, using

appropriated federal funds. Several transportation products are among

these items. EPA’s research shows that the items designated in the

CPG are of high quality, widely available, and cost-competitive with

virgin products. EPA also issues nonregulatory companion guidance—

the Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN)—that recommends

levels of recycled content for those items.

Whether you’re working on a major highway or repairing a local

road, there’s one way to ensure a smooth ride—buy recycled! When

you buy recycled, you’re doing more than supplying road crews’

needs; you’re also helping to support recycling businesses and protect the environment.

2Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber.

1EPA

EcoPurchasing means 

considering attributes 

such as

❖

recycled content

toxicity

reusability

durability

repairability

❖

before you buy 

a product.
Recycling is more than just dropping off your cans, bottles, and

newspapers at the curb or at a

local collection facility. Diverting recyclables from the waste stream is only the

first of three steps in the recycling process. The second step occurs when companies use these recyclables to

manufacture new products. The third

step comes when you purchase products

made from recovered materials. That’s

how we close the loop.

To support markets for the materials

collected in recycling programs and to

help these programs expand, the

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

requires agencies to buy recycled-content

products designated by EPA. In addition,

President Clinton signed Executive Order

13101 in September 1998, which called

for an increase in the federal government’s use of recycled-content and other

environmentally preferable products. 

Issued in May 1995, the first CPG designated 19 new products, including traffic

cones and barricades, and incorporated

five previously designated items in seven

product categories. Procuring agencies are

required to purchase these items with

recycled content. The first CPG update

(CPG II) was published in November

1997, and designated an additional 

12 items, including parking stops and

traffic control devices. A second CPG

update (CPG III) was published in January

2000, but did not designate any new

transportation products. This fact sheet

updates the information provided in the

1997 Buy Recycled Series. 

Procuring agencies include all federal

agencies, and any state or local government agency or government contractor

that uses appropriated federal funds to

purchase the designated items. If your

agency spends more than $10,000 per

year on a product designated in the CPG,

you are required to purchase it with the

highest recycled-content level practicable.

The CPG also applies to lease contracts

covering designated items. 

Once designated, an agency has 1

year to develop an affirmative procurement program (or revise an existing one)

for a designated item it purchases. By

May 1, 1996, agencies were required to

develop affirmative procurement programs to incorporate buy-recycled

requirements for traffic cones and barricades. By November 13, 1998, agencies

were required to revise their affirmative

procurement programs to incorporate

parking stops and traffic control devices. 

The CPG acknowledges, however, that

specific circumstances might arise that

preclude the purchase of products made

with recovered materials. Your agency

may purchase designated items that do

not contain recovered materials if it determines that: 1) the price of a given designated item made with recovered materials

is unreasonably high, 2) there is inadequate competition (not enough sources of

supply), 3) unusual and unreasonable

delays would result from obtaining the

item, or 4) the recycled-content item does

not meet the agency’s reasonable performance specifications.

What Is The CPG?

The CPG

requires 

federal 

agencies to

buy items

made from 

recovered

materials.

2
1 Transportation products containing recovered materials must conform to the Manual on Uniform Highway Traffic Control Devices used by 

the Federal Highway Administration, as well as other applicable federal requirements and specifications.

2 Content levels are based on the dry weight of the raw materials, exclusive of any additives such as adhesives, binders, or coloring agents. 3 The recommended recovered materials content levels for steel in this table reflect the fact that the designated items can be made from steel

manufactured from either a Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) or an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). Steel from the BOF process contains 25-30% total

recovered materials, of which 16% is postconsumer steel. Steel from the EAF process contains a total of 100% recovered steel, of which 67% is

postconsumer.

EPA issues purchasing guidance in RMANs, which are designed to make it as

easy as possible to buy the designated items. The RMANs recommend recycledcontent levels to look for when purchasing transportation products, as shown in

the chart below. Following the RMANs’ recommended levels will help ensure your

affirmative procurement program and standards meet the buy-recycled requirements.

Rather than specifying just one level of recycled content, the RMANs recommend ranges that reflect actual market conditions. The recommendations are based

on market research identifying recycled-content products that are commercially

available, are competitively priced, and meet buyers’ quality standards.

Refer to EPA’s availability list entitled “Transportation Products Containing

Recovered Materials” for sources of the designated transportation items. See the last

section of this fact sheet for this and other helpful resources.

How Do I Purchase Recycled-Content Transportation Products?

The RMAN 

recommends 

recycledcontent ranges at

which the 

designated items 

are generally 

available in the 

marketplace.

Transportation Products1

Traffic Cones:

—Plastic (PVC and LDPE)

—Crumb Rubber 

Traffic Barricades (type I and II only):

—Plastic (HDPE, LDPE, PET)

—Steel3

—Fiberglass 

Parking Stops:

—Plastic and/or Rubber

—Concrete Containing Coal Fly Ash

—Concrete Containing Ground Granulated 

Blast Furnace Slag 

Traffic Control Devices:

—Channelizers:

Plastic

Rubber (base only)

—Delineators:

Plastic

Rubber (base only)

Steel (base only)3

—Flexible Delineators

EPA’s Recommended Content Levels for Transportation Products

Recovered Material Content2

50–100%

50–100%

80–100% (postconsumer)/100% (total)

16% (postconsumer)/25–30% (total)

67% (postconsumer)/100% (total)

100%

100%

Generally, 20 to 30 percent, but could be up to 40 percent. 

Fifteen percent when used as a partial cement replacement as an

admixture in concrete.

25–70%

25–95% (postconsumer)

100% (postconsumer)

25–90% (postconsumer)

100% (postconsumer)

16% (postconsumer)/25–30% (total)

67% (postconsumer)/100% (total)

25–85% (postconsumer)

3
• Channelizers: Channelizers are barrels or drums that direct traffic

around areas of road repair and construction. Street maintenance

agencies and construction contractors use channelizers on construction sites, medians, on/off ramps, mountainous terrain, and

areas where fog and haze are common. Channelizers are designed

and colored to be highly visible and can be constructed from

recovered HDPE and rubber. The bases of the drums are weighted

to provide stability and are often made from used tires.

• Delineators: Delineators are temporary pavement markers that come in many shapes, sizes, and compositions.

They are manufactured primarily from recovered and

postconsumer HDPE. Delineator bases are either steel

stakes that can be driven into the ground or rubber to

support the delineator on the road surface.

• Flexible Delineators: These products come in the form of stakes and are driven

into the ground. The product is flexible enough so that vehicles can strike them

without causing damage to the vehicle or the delineator. They are used at golf

courses, airports, military bases, shopping centers, and recreation areas.

• Parking Stops: Commonly found in parking lots, parking stops are used

to mark parking spaces and keep vehicles from rolling

beyond a designated parking area.

• Traffic Barricades: Traffic barricades are used to redirect or restrict traffic in

areas of highway construction or repair. They are typically made from wood,

steel, plastic, or a combination of these materials. Many manufacturers have

switched to the use of recycled materials in both the supporting frame and rails

of the barricades.

• Traffic Cones: Traffic cones are used to mark a road hazard or direct traffic. In general,

both recovered- and postconsumer-content plastics are used in the upper component of

the cones, and crumb rubber and/or plastics are used in the base.

How Do I Purchase Recycled-Content Transportation Products (Continued)

Key Terms

4
A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Mail Transport

Equipment Warehouse in Henderson, Colorado,

installed six recovered plastic parking stops in 1996.

While USPS had no specifications requiring the use of

recovered materials in this product at the time,

employees were encouraged to buy recycled products

through procurement training and printed promotional

materials. The facility experienced no performance

problems with the 100 percent postconsumer plastic

parking stops, which were purchased from a local

manufacturer. USPS found maintenance and installation costs to be lower than those for conventional 

concrete stops because of the product’s durability and

light weight as well as the fact that it came with

mounting hardware. The facility received the White

House Closing the Circle Award for its success with

waste prevention, recycling, and affirmative procurement of recovered-content products. For more 

information, contact Elaine May of USPS at 

303 313-5241.

In 1994, the Kentucky Department of Highways purchased a sample supply of flexible delineators made

from recovered plastic. Based on the delineators’ 

successful performance, the department has purchased

more than 3,000 flexible delineator posts made from

recovered plastic for a number of projects along

Kentucky’s interstate highways. A project on Interstate

Highway 65, for example, used flexible delineator

posts every 500 feet along a 50 mile stretch. According

to department officials, the durability of recycled 

plastic flexible delineators has reduced replacement

and maintenance costs. The delineators also have

increased traffic safety because they bend on impact,

reducing the chance of damage to vehicles or injury to

their occupants. For more information, contact Janet

Coffee of the Kentucky Department of Highways at 

502 564-4556

The states of Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,

New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Wisconsin are

combining their resources to buy recycled-content traffic cones. Since 1993, they have bought approximately

50,000 cones per year, mostly for highway construction

along roads and tunnels and for use at airports. In

addition, many cities, counties, and universities across

the United States also purchase these recycled-content

traffic control devices. For more information contact

Ron Wachenheim of the New York Office of General

Services at 518 474-1557.

Kentucky Department of Highways: Flexible Delineators

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has

used recycled products in highway operations for the

past several years. Based on their experience and field

evaluations, TxDOT is revising their procurement standards to encourage expanded use of recovered-content

traffic control devices. Currently, TxDOT is using recycled-content channelizers in highway projects across

the state. The channelizers’ light weight and flexibility

boosts highway and work zone safety, since less damage is caused when vehicles strike them. The strength

of the channelizers also allows for their long-term use,

saving money and essentially removing these materials

from municipal solid waste. For more information,

contact Greg Brinkmeyer of the TxDOT at 512 416-

3120 or Dan Maupin at 512 416-3128.

States Combine Efforts: Traffic Cones

U.S. Postal Service: Parking Stops

Texas Department of Transportation: Channelizers

5

CASE STUDIES: Safer, Cheaper, and More Effective Recycled-Content Transportation Products
How Can I Get More Information?

Information Available 

From EPA

This fact sheet and the following publications on

buying recycled-content products are available

or can be accessed in electronic format on the Internet at

<www.epa.gov/cpg>. Use Internet e-mail to order paper copies

of documents. Include the requestor’s name and mailing

address on all orders. Address e-mail to: rcra-docket@epa.gov. 

Paper copies also can be ordered by calling the RCRA

Hotline. Callers within the Washington Metropolitan Area must

dial 703 412-9810 or TDD 703 412-3323 (hearing impaired).

Long-distance callers can call 800 424-9346 or TDD 800 553-

7672. The RCRA Hotline operates weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 6

p.m., e.s.t.

❖ EPA Expands Comprehensive Procurement Guideline

(CPG) (EPA530-F-00-017).This fact sheet provides general

information about the CPG and the development of affirmative procurement programs.

❖ Federal Register (FR) notices promulgating CPG I (60 FR

21370/EPA530-Z-95-006) and RMAN I (60 FR

21386/EPA530-Z-95-007), May 1, 1995. FR notices promulgating CPG II (62 FR 60961/EPA530-Z-97-009) and RMAN

II (62 FR 60975/EPA530-Z-97-010), November 13, 1997.

FR notices promulgating CPG III (65 FR 3070) and RMAN

III (65 FR 3082), January 19, 2000.

❖ Transportation Products Containing Recovered

Materials (EPA530-B-99-016). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of traffic cones, barricades, parking

stops, and other traffic control devices containing recovered

materials. (Each listing is based on information provided by

the manufacturer and does not constitute an endorsement

by EPA.)

❖ A Study of State and Local Government Procurement

Practices that Consider Environmental Performance of

Goods and Services (EPA742-R-96-007). This report provides important program elements and case studies of 

state and county agencies purchasing environmentally

preferable products and services. For a copy of the report

or more information on EPA’s Environmentally Preferable

Purchasing (EPP) program, contact the Pollution Prevention

Information Clearinghouse at 401 M Street, SW. (7409),

Washington, DC 20460. Phone: 202 260-1023. 

Fax: 202 260-4659. Visit the EPP Web site at

<www.epa.gov/oppt/epp>.

Other Sources 

of Information

❖ Buy Recycled Business Alliance. The

Alliance includes over 3,200 companies and

organizations committed to increasing their use of recycledcontent products and materials in their day-to-day operations. The Alliance offers educational materials, a quarterly

newsletter, and product-specific guides. Public purchasing

entities can join for free. For more information, contact

Kevin Barry, National Recycling Coalition, 1727 King Street,

Suite 105, Alexandria, VA 22314-2720. Phone: 703 683-

9025, Ext. 210. Fax: 703 683-9026. 

Web site: www.nrc-recycle.org/brba/index.htm 

E-mail: brbainfo@nrc-recycle.org

❖ U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA publishes various supply catalogs, guides, and schedules for

recycled-content products available through the Federal

Supply Service. For copies of the following documents and

other information, contact GSA, Centralized Mailing List

Service (7CAFL), 4900 Hemphill Street, P.O. Box 6477, Fort

Worth, TX 76115. Phone: 817 334-5215. Fax: 817 334-

5561. You also can access GSA Advantage!, GSA’s online

ordering system, to order any GSA product at 

<www.fss.gsa.gov/cgi-bin/advwel>.

— Environmental Products Guide. This GSA guide is

designed to help procurement officials identify environmentally preferable products and services. It contains

nearly 3,000 items, including many recycled-content

products.

— New Item Introductory Schedule. This GSA schedule

lists parking stops that contain recovered rubber 

materials.

❖ Greening the Government: A Guide to Implementing

Executive Order 12873. This guide provides detailed information on establishing and implementing federal affirmative

procurement plans. Updated in the summer of 1997, it is

available without charge from the Office of the Federal

Environmental Executive, Ariel Rios Building, Mail Code

1600S, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC

20460. Phone: 202 564-1297. Fax: 202 564-1393. 

Web site: www.ofee.gov

❖ National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo can provide sample county procurement ordinances and distributes

buy-recycled information. For more information, contact

Naomi Friedman, Senior Project Manager, Solid Waste and

Pollution Prevention, 440 First Street, NW., Washington, DC

20001. Phone:202 942-4262. Fax: 202 737-0480 or 

202 393-2630. Web site: www.naco.org

6
❖ National Association of State Purchasing Officials

(NASPO). NASPO’s Internet-based Database of Recycled

Commodities (DRC) includes information from states on their

recycled product procurement. Data include product distributors, manufacturers, brand names, recycled and postconsumer

content, Energy Star@ rating, units purchased, unit of measurement, unit price, and type of procurement. Visit the NASPO

Web site at <fcn.state.fl.us/bpsr/drc_notice.html>.

❖ Official Recycled Products Guide. This directory lists more

than 5,000 manufacturers and distributors of recycled-content

products, including those for traffic cones, traffic barricades,

traffic control devices, and parking stops. For more information, contact the Recycling Data Management Corporation,

P.O. Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Phone: 800 267-0707.

Fax: 315 471-3258.

❖ Recycled Plastic Products Source Book. This booklet lists

more than 1,300 plastic products from approximately 300 manufacturers, including parking stops and traffic control devices.

For more information, call the American Plastics Council

(APC), 1801 K Street, NW., Suite 7010, Washington, DC

20006. Phone: 202 974-5400. Fax: 202 296-7119. Visit the

APC Web site at <www.plasticsresource.com>.

Internet Sites

❖The Comprehensive Procurement

Guidelines: <www.epa.gov/cpg>. This site

describes EPA’s effort to facilitate the procurement of products containing recovered materials, including

information on CPG, RMANs, and the Buy-Recycled Series.

❖ Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP):

<www.epa.gov/oppt/epp>. EPA’s Environmentally Preferable

Purchasing program encourages and assists executive agencies to purchase environmentally preferable products and services. The site explains EPA’s guiding principles for including

environmental performance in purchasing decision-making and

posts case studies of successful pilot projects in both the public and private sectors.

❖ Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE):

<www.ofee.gov>. OFEE’s mission is to advocate, coordinate,

and assist environmental efforts of the federal community in

waste prevention, recycling, affirmative procurement of CPG

items, and the acquisition of recycled and environmentally

preferable products and services. 

❖ Federal Trade Commission:

<www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm>. The Federal

Trade Commission issued Guides for the Use of

Environmental Marketing Claims in May 1998.

❖ Jobs Through Recycling: <www.epa.gov/jtr>. EPA’s Jobs

Through Recycling program stimulates economic growth and

recycling market development by assisting businesses and supporting a network of state and regional recycling contacts. This

Web site provides information on financing and technical assistance for recycling businesses, as well as other market development tools.

❖ California Recycled-Content Product Database:

<www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP>. This site contains information on

why to buy recycled-content products, how to procure them,

and provides access to a database with information on products, as well as manufacturers, distributors, reprocessors,

mills, and convertors across the country.

❖ King County Recycled Product Procurement Program:

<www.metrokc.gov/oppis/recyclea.html>. This site describes

the tools and techniques developed by King County,

Washington, agencies for purchasing recycled products.

❖ Municipal Solid Waste: <www.epa.gov/msw>. This site

includes information on recycling, source reduction, and reuse.

Contains state municipal solid waste data and the latest facts

and figures on waste generation and disposal.

❖ WasteWise: <www.epa.gov/wastewise>. WasteWise is a

free, voluntary EPA program through which organizations

eliminate costly municipal solid waste, benefitting their bottom line and the environment. The program provides handson assistance to members to help them purchase or

manufacture recycled-content products, prevent waste, and

recycle solid waste materials.

❖ Recycling Data Network Information Services:

<www.epa.gov/cpg/links.htm>. This commercial Web site provides access, on a subscription basis, to a recycled-content

products database of over 4,500 listings in 700 product classifications. It also provides a reference library and a newsletter.

Managed by the publisher of the Official Recycled Products

Guide, the product database is considered to be the largest of

its kind. 

In addition, contact your state solid waste management

agency for information about local and regional 

businesses that produce or distribute 

recycled-content products.

7
1EPA

Penalty for Private Use $300Official Business Washington, DC 204601200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.Ariel Rios Building(5306W)Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States