Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2003-0005-0003
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-12-03T05:00Z

BACKGROUND
DOCUMENT
FOR
THE
PROPOSED
COMPREHENSIVE
PROCUREMENT
GUIDELINE
(
CPG)
V
AND
DRAFT
RECOVERED
MATERIALS
ADVISORY
NOTICE
(
RMAN)
V
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Office
of
Solid
Waste
Ariel
Rios
Building
1200
Pennsylvania
Avenue,
NW
Washington,
DC
20460­
0002
July
2003
i
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENT
FOR
PROPOSED
CPG
V
AND
DRAFT
RMAN
V
CONTENTS
I.
INTRODUCTION
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1
A.
History
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1
B.
Contents
of
These
Supporting
Analyses
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1
II.
BACKGROUND
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A.
Requirements
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3
1.
RCRA
Section
6002
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2.
Executive
Order
13101
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B.
Criteria
for
Selecting
Items
for
Designation
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6
1.
Use
of
Materials
Found
in
Solid
Waste
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2.
Economic
and
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
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3.
Impact
of
Government
Procurement
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4.
Availability
and
Competition
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5.
Other
Uses
for
Recovered
Materials
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6.
Other
Considerations
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10
C.
Methodology
for
Selecting
Items
for
Designation
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11
D.
Broad
Categories
Versus
Specific
Items
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13
III.
ITEM
DESIGNATION
CATEGORIES
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IV.
DEFINITIONS
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15
V.
LANDSCAPING
PRODUCTS
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15
A.
Compost
Made
From
Manure
or
Biosolids
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15
1.
Item
Description
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2.
Rationale
for
Designation
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16
a.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
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b.
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
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c.
Availability
and
Competition
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ii
d.
Economic
Feasibility
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e.
Government
Purchasing
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f.
Barriers
to
Purchasing
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g.
Designation
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3.
Procurement
Recommendations
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a.
Recovered
Materials
Content
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b.
Preference
Program
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c.
Specifications
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B.
Fertilizers
Made
From
Recovered
Organic
Materials
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1.
Item
Description
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31
2.
Rationale
for
Designation
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35
a.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
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36
b.
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
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c.
Availability
and
Competition
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d.
Economic
Feasibility
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e.
Government
Purchasing
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f.
Barriers
to
Purchasing
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41
g.
Designation
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3.
Procurement
Recommendations
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a.
Recovered
Materials
Content
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b.
Preference
Program
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42
c.
Specifications
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42
VI.
ITEMS
BEING
CONSIDERED
FOR
FUTURE
DESIGNATION
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43
VII.
DESIGNATED
ITEM
AVAILABILITY
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43
VIII.
ECONOMIC
IMPACT
ANALYSIS
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44
IX.
SUPPORTING
INFORMATION
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44
APPENDICES
iii
TABLES
Table
1:
List
of
Acronyms
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2
Table
2:
Manure
Nutrients
(
Typical)
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20
Table
3:
Composition
of
Compost
vs.
Raw
Manure
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22
1
I.
INTRODUCTION
A.
History
Section
6002(
e)
of
RCRA
requires
EPA
to
designate
items
that
are
or
can
be
made
with
recovered
materials
and
to
recommend
practices
to
assist
procuring
agencies
in
meeting
their
obligations
with
respect
to
designated
items
under
RCRA
section
6002.
After
EPA
designates
an
item,
RCRA
requires
that
each
procuring
agency,
when
purchasing
a
designated
item,
must
purchase
that
item
composed
of
the
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable.

Executive
Order
13101
(
Executive
Order)
establishes
the
procedure
for
EPA
to
follow
in
implementing
RCRA
section
6002(
e).
Section
502
of
the
Executive
Order
directs
EPA
to
issue
a
Comprehensive
Procurement
Guideline
(
CPG)
that
designates
items
that
are
or
can
be
made
with
recovered
materials.
Concurrent
with
the
CPG,
EPA
must
publish
its
recommended
procurement
practices
for
purchasing
designated
items,
including
recovered
materials
content
levels,
in
a
related
Recovered
Materials
Advisory
Notice
(
RMAN).
The
Executive
Order
also
directs
EPA
to
update
the
CPG
every
2
years
and
to
issue
RMANs
periodically
to
reflect
changing
market
conditions.
The
first
CPG
(
CPG
I)
was
published
on
May
1,
1995
(
60
FR
21370).
It
established
8
product
categories,
designated
19
new
items,
and
consolidated
5
earlier
item
designations.
The
first
CPG
update
(
CPG
II)
was
published
on
November
13,

1997
(
62
FR
60962)
and
designated
an
additional
12
products.
The
second
CPG
update
(
CPG
III)
was
published
on
January
19,
2000
(
65
FR
3070)
and
designated
an
additional
18
products.
A
third
CPG
update
(
CPG
IV)
designating
an
additional
7
items
is
due
to
be
published
shortly.
Today,
in
CPG
V,
EPA
is
proposing
to
designate
one
new
item
 
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
 
and
revise
the
designation
for
compost.

B.
Contents
of
These
Supporting
Analyses
This
document,
hereafter
referred
to
as
the
proposed
CPG
V/
Draft
RMAN
V
background
document,
explains
EPA's
overall
objectives,
the
process
for
designating
procurement
items,
and
the
methodology
used
in
recommending
recovered
materials
content
levels
for
items
designated
and
revised
in
the
proposed
CPG
V.
In
addition,
the
proposed
CPG
V/
Draft
RMAN
V
background
document
lists
the
recommended
procurement
practices
for
designated
and
revised
items.
2
Also
for
the
reader's
convenience,
the
table
below
lists
acronyms
referenced
throughout
this
document.

Table
1
List
of
Acronyms
Acronym
Term
APP
Affirmative
Procurement
Program
ASTM
American
Society
of
Testing
and
Materials
CAFO
Concentrated
Animal
Feeding
Operations
C&
D
Construction
and
Demolition
CIWMB
California
Integrated
Waste
Management
Board
CPG
Comprehensive
Procurement
Guidelines
DLA
Defense
Logistics
Agency
EPA
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
GSA
General
Services
Administration
MSW
Municipal
Solid
Waste
NOP
National
Organics
Program
NPS
National
Park
Service
NRCS
National
Resource
Conservation
Service
OFPP
Office
of
Federal
Procurement
Policy
OMRI
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute
RCRA
Resource
Conservation
Recovery
Act
RMAN
Recovered
Materials
Advisory
Notice
STA
Seal
of
Testing
Assurance
TMECC
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost
TNRCC
Texas
Natural
Resource
Conservation
Commission
TxDOT
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
Acronym
Term
3
USCC
U.
S.
Composting
Council
USDA
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture
U.
S.
DOT
U.
S.
Department
of
Transportation
II.
BACKGROUND
A.
Requirements
The
Resource
Conservation
and
Recovery
Act
(
RCRA
or
the
Act)
section
6002
and
Executive
Order
13101
(
Executive
Order)
specify
requirements
for
the
procurement
of
products
containing
recovered
materials.
The
requirements
of
RCRA
section
6002
apply
to
"
procuring
agencies,"
as
defined
in
RCRA
section
1004(
17);
the
Executive
Order
applies
only
to
federal
"
executive
agencies,"
as
defined
in
section
202
of
the
Executive
Order.

Section
6002(
e)
of
RCRA
requires
EPA
to
designate
items
that
are
or
can
be
made
with
recovered
materials
and
to
recommend
practices
to
assist
procuring
agencies
in
meeting
their
obligations
with
respect
to
the
procurement
of
designated
items
under
RCRA
section
6002.
After
EPA
designates
an
item,
RCRA
requires
that
each
procuring
agency,
when
purchasing
a
designated
item,
must
purchase
that
item
composed
of
the
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable.

The
Executive
Order
specifies
the
procedure
for
EPA
to
follow
in
implementing
RCRA
section
6002(
e).
Section
502
of
the
Executive
Order
directs
EPA
to
designate
items
in
the
CPG
and
to
recommend
procurement
practices
for
purchasing
designated
items,
including
recovered
materials
content
levels,
in
a
related
RMAN.
The
Executive
Order
also
directs
EPA
to
update
the
CPG
every
2
years
and
to
issue
RMANs
periodically
to
reflect
changing
market
conditions.

The
following
sections
provide
an
overview
of
RCRA
section
6002
and
the
Executive
Order
and
explain
the
basis
for
designating
specific
products
as
procurement
items
subject
to
RCRA
section
6002.

Appendix
I
contains
a
summary
of
the
generation
and
recovery
of
materials
in
the
solid
waste
stream.
4
Appendix
II
provides
a
more
detailed
explanation
of
the
provisions
and
requirements
of
RCRA
section
6002.
Appendix
III
provides
additional
details
on
the
Executive
Order.
Appendix
IV
briefly
discusses
additional
federal
procurement
policies
and
requirements,
and
Appendix
V
explains
RCRA
Section
6002
requirements
for
agencies
to
use
in
developing
affirmative
procurement
programs.

1.
RCRA
Section
6002
RCRA
section
6002
requires
EPA
to
designate
items
that
are
or
can
be
made
with
recovered
materials
and
to
recommend
practices
to
assist
procuring
agencies
in
purchasing
the
designated
items.
Once
an
item
is
designated
by
EPA,
procuring
agencies
that
use
appropriated
federal
funds
to
purchase
the
item
are
required
to
purchase
it
containing
the
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable
(
and
in
the
case
of
paper,
the
highest
percentage
of
postconsumer
recovered
materials),
taking
into
consideration
the
limitations
set
forth
in
section
6002(
c)(
1)(
A)
through
(
C)
(
i.
e.,
competition,
price,
availability,
and
performance).
The
requirement
applies
when
the
purchase
price
of
the
item
exceeds
$
10,000
or
when
the
total
cost
of
such
items,
or
of
functionally
equivalent
items,
purchased
during
the
preceding
fiscal
year
was
$
10,000
or
more.

RCRA
section
6002(
d)(
2)
requires
that,
within
1
year
after
EPA
designates
an
item,
federal
agencies
revise
their
specifications
to
require
the
use
of
recovered
materials
to
the
maximum
extent
possible
without
jeopardizing
the
intended
end
use
of
the
item.
Section
6002(
d)(
1)
further
requires
federal
agencies
responsible
for
drafting
or
reviewing
specifications
to
review
all
of
their
product
specifications
to
eliminate
provisions
prohibiting
the
use
of
recovered
materials
and
requirements
specifying
the
exclusive
use
of
virgin
materials.
To
comply
with
section
6002(
d)(
2),
the
revision
process
for
items
designated
in
CPG
V
should
be
completed
within
1
year
after
the
final
CPG
V
is
published
in
the
Federal
Register.

Once
EPA
designates
an
item,
responsibility
for
complying
with
RCRA
section
6002
rests
with
the
procuring
agencies.
For
each
item
designated
by
EPA,
RCRA
section
6002(
i)
requires
each
procuring
agency
to
develop
an
affirmative
procurement
program
(
APP),
which
sets
forth
the
agency's
policies
and
procedures
for
implementing
the
requirements
of
RCRA
section
6002.
The
APP
must
ensure
that
the
agency
purchases
items
composed
of
recovered
materials
to
the
maximum
extent
practicable
and
that
these
5
purchases
are
made
consistent
with
applicable
provisions
of
federal
procurement
law.
In
accordance
with
RCRA
section
6002(
i),
the
APP
must
contain
at
least
four
elements:

1.
A
recovered
materials
preference
program.

2.
An
agency
promotion
program.

3.
A
program
for
requiring
vendors
to
estimate,
certify,
and
reasonably
verify
the
recovered
materials
content
of
their
products.

4.
A
program
to
monitor
and
annually
review
the
effectiveness
of
the
APP.

Appendix
V
provides
detailed
information
on
APPs.

Finally,
RCRA
section
6002(
g)
requires
the
Office
of
Federal
Procurement
Policy
(
OFPP)
to
implement
the
requirements
of
RCRA
section
6002
and
to
coordinate
this
policy
with
other
federal
procurement
policies
in
order
to
maximize
the
use
of
recovered
materials.
RCRA
further
requires
OFPP
to
report
to
Congress
every
2
years
on
actions
taken
by
federal
agencies
to
implement
such
policy.

2.
Executive
Order
13101
Executive
Order
13101,
Greening
the
Government
Through
Waste
Prevention,
Recycling,
and
Federal
Acquisition,
was
signed
by
President
Clinton
on
September
14,
1998.
It
replaces
Executive
Order
12873,
Federal
Acquisition,
Recycling,
and
Waste
Prevention.
Section
502
of
the
Executive
Order
establishes
a
two­
part
process
for
EPA
to
use
when
developing
and
issuing
the
procurement
guidelines
for
products
containing
recovered
materials,
as
required
by
RCRA
Section
6002(
e).
The
first
part
of
the
process,
issuing
the
CPG,
involves
designating
items
that
are
or
can
be
made
with
recovered
materials.
The
CPG
is
developed
using
formal
notice­
and­
comment
rulemaking
procedures
and
is
codified
in
the
Code
of
Federal
Regulations
(
CFR)
at
40
CFR
Part
247.
The
Executive
Order
requires
EPA
to
update
the
CPG
every
2
years.

The
second
part
of
the
process
is
the
publication
of
the
RMAN,
which
provides
recommendations
to
procuring
agencies
on
purchasing
the
items
designated
in
the
CPG.
The
Executive
Order
directs
EPA
to
6
publish
the
RMAN
in
the
FR
for
public
comment.
The
RMAN,
however,
is
not
codified
in
the
CFR,

because
the
recommendations
are
guidance.
RMANs
are
issued
periodically
to
reflect
changes
in
market
conditions
and
provide
procurement
recommendations
for
newly
designated
items.

Appendix
III
provides
additional
information
on
the
provisions
and
requirements
of
Executive
Order
13101,
including
requirements
for
procuring
agencies
to
comply
with
EPA's
guidelines.

B.
Criteria
for
Selecting
Items
for
Designation
While
not
limiting
consideration
to
these
criteria,
RCRA
section
6002(
e)
requires
EPA
to
consider
the
following
when
determining
which
items
it
will
designate:

1.
Availability
of
the
item,

2.
Potential
impact
on
the
solid
waste
stream
of
item
procurement,

3.
Economic
and
technological
feasibility
of
producing
the
item,
and
4.
Other
uses
for
the
recovered
materials
used
to
produce
the
item.

EPA
consulted
with
federal
procurement
and
requirement
officials
to
identify
other
criteria
to
consider
when
selecting
items
for
designation.
Based
on
these
discussions,
the
Agency
concluded
that
the
limitations
set
forth
in
RCRA
section
6002(
c)
should
also
be
factored
into
its
selection
decisions.
This
provision
requires
each
procuring
agency
to
procure
a
designated
item
composed
of
the
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable,
while
maintaining
a
satisfactory
level
of
competition.
A
procuring
agency,
however,
may
decide
not
to
procure
an
EPA­
designated
item
containing
recovered
materials
if
it
determines:
(
1)
the
item
is
not
reasonably
available
within
a
reasonable
period
of
time;
(
2)
the
item
fails
to
meet
the
performance
standards
set
forth
in
the
agency's
specification;
or
(
3)
the
item
is
available
only
at
an
unreasonable
price.
EPA
recognized
that
these
limitations
could
restrict
procuring
agencies
from
purchasing
EPA­
designated
items
with
recovered
materials
content,
and,
thereby,
could
limit
the
potential
impact
of
an
individual
item
designation.
(
The
limitations
of
section
6002(
c)
also
effectively
describe
the
circumstances
in
which
a
designated
item
is
"
available"
for
purposes
of
the
statute.)
For
this
reason,
EPA
also
takes
into
account
the
limitations
cited
in
RCRA
section
6002(
c)
in
its
selection
of
items
for
designation.
7
The
Agency
developed
the
following
criteria
for
use
in
selecting
items
for
designation:
use
of
materials
found
in
solid
waste;
economic
and
technological
feasibility
and
performance;
impact
of
government
procurement;
availability
and
competition;
and
other
uses
for
recovered
materials.
The
items
proposed
for
designation
or
revision
in
CPG
V
have
all
been
evaluated
with
respect
to
EPA's
criteria.

Details
of
these
evaluations
are
discussed
in
Section
V
of
this
document.

1.
Use
of
Materials
Found
in
Solid
Waste
All
items
designated
in
the
CPG
are
manufactured
with
materials
recovered
or
diverted
from
the
solid
waste
stream.
These
include
both
materials
recovered
or
diverted
from
municipal
solid
waste
(
MSW)

and
materials
recovered
or
diverted
from
other
solid
waste
streams,
such
as
construction
and
demolition
(
C&
D)
debris,
agricultural
residue,
and
other
nonhazardous
waste
streams.
Once
recovered
or
diverted,

these
materials
are
reclaimed
and
refined,
disassembled
and
remanufactured,
or
separated
and
processed
for
use
as
feedstock
to
manufacture
a
new
product.
Appendix
I
provides
an
overview
of
the
materials
in
MSW
in
the
United
States
and
provides
a
more
detailed
explanation
of
some
of
the
materials
used
in
the
products
proposed
for
designation
in
CPG
V.

The
potential
impact
that
procuring
agencies
may
have
on
the
solid
waste
stream
by
procuring
EPA­
designated
items
varies
depending
on
the
sophistication
of
the
process
used
to
recover
or
refine
the
materials
and
on
the
recovered
materials
content
of
the
final
product.
Additionally,
although
designating
a
single
item
may
not
have
a
significant
impact
on
the
amount
of
solid
waste
recovered
or
diverted
from
the
waste
stream,
EPA
has
concluded
that
designating
several
items
made
from
the
same
recovered
material
can
lead
to
the
diversion
of
substantial
quantities
of
that
material
from
the
waste
stream.

Information
on
the
recovered
materials
used
to
produce
items
proposed
for
designation
by
EPA
is
presented
in
subsection
2(
a),
"
Impact
on
Solid
Waste,"
within
the
individual
item
discussions
in
Section
V.

2.
Economic
and
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
8
Before
selecting
an
item
for
designation,
EPA
determines
that,
based
on
its
market
research,
it
is
economically
and
technologically
feasible
to
use
recovered
materials
to
produce
the
item.
EPA
uses
several
indicators
in
making
this
determination.
The
availability
of
the
item
in
the
marketplace
and
procurement
of
the
item
by
federal
and/
or
other
procuring
agencies
are
primary
indicators
that
it
is
economically
and
technologically
feasible
to
manufacture
the
product
with
recovered
materials
content.
Other
indicators
include
the
ability
of
the
item
to
meet
performance
specifications,
the
general
acceptance
of
the
item
by
consumers
and
purchasers,
and
the
use
of
recovered
feedstock
by
manufacturers.

RCRA
directs
EPA
to
"
designate
items
that
are
or
can
be
produced
with
recovered
materials
and
whose
procurement
by
procuring
agencies
will
carry
out
the
objectives
of
RCRA
section
6002."
This
being
the
case,
there
may
be
instances
where
a
particular
item
is
not
currently
made
with
recovered
materials
content,
but
a
similar
item
is.
In
those
cases
where
the
Agency
has
concluded
that
there
are
no
technical
reasons
that
prevent
an
item
from
being
manufactured
with
recovered
materials,
and
there
is
a
demonstrated
use
of
recovered
materials
in
a
similar
item,
EPA
also
may
consider
designation
of
the
item
that
currently
does
not
contain
recovered
materials.

Prior
to
selecting
an
item
for
designation,
EPA
also
considers
the
ability
of
the
item
to
meet
the
standards,
specifications,
or
commercial
item
descriptions
set
forth
by
federal
agencies
or
national
standard­
setting
organizations.

Information
on
the
economic
and
technological
feasibility
of
producing
items
proposed
for
designation
by
EPA,
including
the
availability
of
the
item
and
the
number
of
manufacturers
that
produce
the
item,
the
ability
of
the
item
to
meet
federal
or
national
specifications,
the
recovered
materials
content
levels
used
by
manufacturers
to
produce
the
item,
and
other
information
relevant
to
the
economic
and
technical
feasibility
of
producing
and
using
the
item,
is
discussed
in
section
2(
b),
"
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance,"
and
section
2(
d),
"
Economic
Feasibility,"
in
the
individual
item
discussions
in
Section
V
of
this
document.
9
3.
Impact
of
Government
Procurement
The
impact
of
government
procurement
of
products
containing
recovered
materials
is
a
combination
of:
(
1)
direct
purchases
by
federal
agencies,
(
2)
purchases
made
by
state
and
local
agencies
using
federal
monies,
and
(
3)
purchases
made
by
contractors
to
these
government
agencies.
When
considering
items
for
designation,
EPA
examines
whether
government
agencies
and
their
contractors
purchase
the
items.

Government
procurement
also
has
an
impact
that
extends
far
beyond
the
federal,
state,
and
local
levels.
As
noted
in
RCRA
and
the
Executive
Order,
the
federal
government
often
serves
as
a
model
for
private
and
other
public
institutions.
Because
of
this
secondary
effect,
EPA
includes
items
that
are
not
unique
to
or
primarily
used
by
government
agencies.
Many
of
the
items
that
EPA
selects
for
designation
are
selected
because
they
have
broad
application
in
both
the
government
and
private
sectors.

Information
on
the
impact
of
government
procurement
for
each
item
proposed
for
designation
in
CPG
V
is
presented
in
section
2(
e),
"
Government
Purchasing,"
in
the
individual
item
discussions
in
Section
V
of
this
document.

4.
Availability
and
Competition
The
items
EPA
selects
for
designation
are
available
from
national,
regional,
or
local
sources.
The
relative
availability
of
an
item
influences
the
ability
of
a
procuring
agency
to
secure
an
adequate
level
of
competition
when
procuring
it.
In
the
event
that
a
satisfactory
level
of
competition
is
unattainable,
a
procuring
agency
may
elect
to
waive
the
requirement
to
purchase
an
EPA­
designated
item
based
on
the
limitations
listed
in
RCRA
section
6002(
c).

Information
on
the
availability
of
each
item
proposed
for
designation
in
CPG
V
including
the
number
of
manufacturers
that
produce
the
item,
is
presented
in
subsection
2(
c),
"
Availability
and
Competition,"
in
the
individual
item
discussions
in
Section
V
of
this
document.
10
5.
Other
Uses
for
Recovered
Materials
In
selecting
items
for
designation,
EPA
also
considers
the
following:
(
1)
the
possibility
of
one
recovered
material
displacing
another
recovered
material
as
feedstock,
thereby
resulting
in
no
net
reduction
in
materials
requiring
disposal;
(
2)
the
diversion
of
recovered
materials
from
one
product
to
another,

possibly
creating
shortages
in
feedstocks
for
one
or
both
products;
and
(
3)
the
ability
of
manufacturers
to
obtain
recovered
materials
in
sufficient
quantity
to
produce
the
item
under
consideration.

While
other
uses
for
recovered
materials
are
a
consideration,
they
are
not
a
determining
factor
when
selecting
items
for
designation,
because
there
is
a
need
for
additional
markets
for
all
recovered
materials
used
to
manufacture
the
designated
items.

6.
Other
Considerations
EPA
also
considers
price
as
a
factor
affecting
the
availability
of
an
item.
The
price
of
products,

whether
made
from
virgin
raw
materials
or
recovered
materials,
is
affected
by
many
variables,
including
the
availability
and
costs
of
material
feedstocks,
energy
costs,
labor
costs,
rate
of
return
on
capital,

transportation
charges,
and
the
quantity
of
the
item
ordered.
In
addition,
price
may
vary
depending
on
whether
the
product
is
a
common
stock
item
or
whether
it
requires
a
special
order.
Price
also
can
be
affected
by
the
geographical
location
of
the
purchaser,
because
some
products
are
not
uniformly
available
throughout
the
United
States.
The
best
sources
of
current
price
information,
therefore,
are
the
manufacturers
and
vendors
of
the
recycled
products.

Relative
prices
of
recycled
products
compared
to
prices
of
comparable
virgin
products
also
vary.

In
many
cases,
recycled
products
may
be
less
expensive
than
their
virgin
counterparts.
In
other
cases,

virgin
products
may
have
lower
prices
than
recycled
products.
Other
factors
also
affect
the
price
of
virgin
products.
For
example,
temporary
fluctuations
in
the
overall
economy
can
create
oversupplies
of
virgin
products,
leading
to
a
decrease
in
prices
for
these
items.
Therefore,
while
price
is
a
consideration,
it
is
not
in
most
cases,
a
determining
factor
when
selecting
items
for
designation.
It
becomes
a
determining
factor
only
when
EPA
obtains
evidence
that
the
relative
price
of
an
item
with
recovered
materials
content
11
is
significantly
higher
than
the
relative
price
of
a
comparable
virgin
product.
For
this
reason,
EPA
did
not
address
price
in
the
individual
item
discussions
in
Section
V
of
this
document.

EPA
has
also
considered
the
feasibility
of
designating
experimental
or
developmental
products
containing
recovered
materials.
In
the
Agency's
experience,
such
designations
do
not
result
in
federal
procurement
of
products
containing
recovered
materials,
because
the
items
are
not
reasonably
available,
or
only
one
source
exists,
leading
to
an
unsatisfactory
level
of
competition.
For
this
reason,
EPA
does
not
intend
to
designate
experimental
or
developmental
products
until
it
can
be
shown
that
they
meet
all
of
EPA's
selection
criteria,
as
described
above.

C.
Methodology
for
Selecting
Items
for
Designation
EPA
used
the
following
process
to
determine
which
items
to
designate
in
the
CPG.
First,
EPA
reviewed
and
updated
information
on
items
previously
considered
for
designation
but
for
which
more
information
was
needed.

Next,
the
Agency
gathered
information
on
new
items
from
comments
submitted
in
response
to
the
initial
CPG,
which
was
proposed
on
April
20,
1994.
On
September
20,
1995,
EPA
published
a
FR
notice
requesting
information
from
the
public
on
potential
items
for
inclusion
in
CPG.
From
December
1,
1995,

through
February
29,
1996,
EPA
accepted
information
from
interested
parties
to
consider
when
selecting
items
for
designation,
recommending
recovered
materials
content
levels
for
selected
items,
and
revising
recommendations
for
existing
designated
items.

In
the
September
20,
1995,
notice,
EPA
requested
information
regarding
the
following
seven
areas:

1.
Barriers
to
Purchasing
Products
Containing
Recovered
Materials:

#
What
government
specifications,
standards,
purchasing
policies,
or
purchasing
procedures
preclude
government
agencies
from
purchasing
the
item
containing
recovered
materials?
12
2.
Use
of
Materials
in
Solid
Waste:

#
Is
the
item
made
using
a
material
that
represents
a
significant
portion
of
the
solid
waste
stream
or
presents
a
solid
waste
disposal
problem?

3.
Economic
and
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance:

#
Does
the
item
perform
as
well
as
necessary
to
meet
a
procuring
agency's
needs?

#
Are
there
government,
American
Society
for
Testing
and
Materials
(
ASTM),
or
other
consensus
standards
or
specifications
that
would
enable
a
procuring
agency
to
buy
the
item
containing
recovered
materials?

#
Is
the
item
available
at
a
reasonable
price
considering
normal
market
fluctuations?

4.
Impact
of
Government
Procurement:

#
Is
the
item
purchased
in
appreciable
quantities
by
the
federal
government
or
by
state
and
local
governments?

5.
Availability
and
Competition:

#
Is
the
item
available
from
an
adequate
number
of
sources
to
ensure
competition?

#
Is
the
item
generally
available,
rather
than
available
in
a
limited
market
area?

6.
Recovered
Materials
Content
Levels:

#
What
levels
of
recovered
materials
content
are
used
in
the
product?

#
Is
the
recovered
materials
content
postconsumer
material?
What
percentage
is
postconsumer?

7.
Sources
of
information:

#
What
is
the
source
of
the
information
provided
(
e.
g.,
industry
studies,
technical
journals)?

Items
proposed
for
CPG
V
designation
are
described
in
detail
in
Section
V
of
this
document.
Those
items
that
might
be
considered
for
designation
at
later
date
are
presented
in
section
VI.
13
D.
Broad
Categories
Versus
Specific
Items
EPA
has
adopted
two
approaches
in
its
designation
of
items
that
are
made
with
recovered
materials.
For
some
items,
such
as
paper
products,
the
Agency
designated
broad
categories
of
items
and
provided
information
in
the
RMAN
as
to
their
appropriate
applications
or
uses.
For
other
items,
such
as
plastic
envelopes,
EPA
designated
specific
items,
and,
in
some
instances,
included
in
the
designation
the
specific
types
of
recovered
materials
or
applications
to
which
the
designation
applies.
The
Agency
provided
the
following
explanation
for
these
approaches
to
designating
items
in
the
preamble
to
the
first
CPG
(
60
FR
21369,
May
1,
1995):

EPA
sometimes
had
information
on
the
availability
of
a
particular
item
made
with
a
specific
recovered
material
(
e.
g.,
plastic),
but
no
information
on
the
availability
of
the
item
made
from
a
different
recovered
material
or
any
indication
that
it
is
possible
to
make
the
item
with
a
different
recovered
material.
In
these
instances,
EPA
concluded
that
it
was
appropriate
to
include
the
specific
material
in
the
item
designation
in
order
to
provide
vital
information
to
procuring
agencies
as
they
seek
to
fulfill
their
obligations
to
purchase
designated
items
composed
of
the
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable.
This
information
enables
the
agencies
to
focus
their
efforts
on
products
that
are
currently
available
for
purchase,
reducing
their
administrative
burden.
EPA
also
included
information
in
the
proposed
CPG,
as
well
as
in
the
draft
RMAN
that
accompanied
the
proposed
CPG,
that
advised
procuring
agencies
that
EPA
is
not
recommending
the
purchase
of
an
item
made
from
one
particular
material
over
a
similar
item
made
from
another
material.
For
example,
EPA
included
the
following
statement
in
the
preamble
discussion
for
plastic
desktop
accessories
(
59
FR
18879,
April
20,
1994):
"
This
designation
does
not
preclude
a
procuring
agency
from
purchasing
desktop
accessories
manufactured
from
another
material,
such
as
wood.
It
simply
requires
that
a
procuring
agency,
when
purchasing
plastic
desktop
accessories,
purchase
these
accessories
made
with
recovered
materials..."

The
Agency
understands
that
some
procuring
agencies
may
believe
the
designation
of
a
broad
category
of
items
in
the
CPG
requires
them
to:
(
1)
procure
all
items
included
in
such
category
with
recovered
materials
content
and
(
2)
to
establish
an
affirmative
procurement
program
for
the
entire
category
of
items,
even
where
specific
items
within
the
category
may
not
meet
current
performance
standards.
This
is
clearly
not
required
under
RCRA
as
implemented
through
the
CPG
and
the
RMAN.
RCRA
section
6002
does
not
require
a
procuring
agency
to
purchase
items
with
recovered
materials
content
that
are
not
available
or
that
do
not
meet
a
procuring
agency's
specifications
or
reasonable
performance
standards
for
the
contemplated
use.
Further,
RCRA
section
6002
does
not
require
a
procuring
agency
to
purchase
such
items
if
the
item
with
recovered
materials
content
is
only
available
at
an
unreasonable
price
or
the
purchase
14
of
such
item
is
inconsistent
with
maintaining
a
reasonable
level
of
competition.
However,
EPA
stresses
that,
when
procuring
any
product
for
which
a
recovered
materials
alternative
is
available
that
meets
the
procuring
agency's
performance
needs,
if
all
other
factors
are
equal,
the
procuring
agency
should
seek
to
purchase
the
product
made
with
highest
percentage
of
recovered
materials
practicable.

III.
ITEM
DESIGNATION
CATEGORIES
Items
designated
in
the
CPG
are
organized
in
the
following
product
categories:
paper
and
paper
products,
vehicular
products,
construction
products,
transportation
products,
park
and
recreation
products,

landscaping
products,
nonpaper
office
products,
and
miscellaneous
products.
The
categories
were
developed
to
describe
the
application
of
each
designated
item.

#
Paper
and
Paper
Products.
Includes
printing
and
writing
papers,
newsprint,
tissue
products,
paperboard
products,
and
packaging.
This
category
does
not
include
paper
and
paper
products
used
in
construction
applications.
A
final
RMAN
for
paper
and
paper
products
containing
recovered
materials
was
issued
on
May
29,
1996,
at
61
FR
26985,
and
an
updated
RMAN
(
Paper
Products
RMAN
II)
was
issued
on
June
8,
1998,
at
63
FR
31214.
No
paper
products
are
included
in
CPG
V.

#
Vehicular
Products.
Products
used
in
repairing
and
maintaining
automobiles,
trucks,
and
other
vehicles.
Examples
include
re­
refined
lubricating
oils,
retread
tires,
and
engine
coolants.
No
vehicular
products
are
included
in
CPG
V.

#
Construction
Products.
Products
used
in
constructing
roads
and
the
interior
and
exterior
components
of
commercial
and
residential
buildings.
Examples
include
building
materials
and
paint.
No
construction
products
are
included
in
CPG
V.

#
Transportation
Products.
Products
used
for
directing
traffic,
alerting
drivers,
and
containing
roadway
noise
and
pollution.
Examples
include
parking
stops
and
traffic
control
devices.
No
transportation
products
are
proposed
for
designation
in
CPG
V.

#
Park
and
Recreation
Products.
Products
used
in
operating
and
maintaining
parks
and
recreational
areas.
Examples
include
playground
equipment
and
running
tracks.
No
park
and
recreation
products
are
proposed
for
designation
in
CPG
V.

#
Landscaping
Products.
Products
used
to
contain,
maintain,
or
enhance
decorative
and
protective
vegetation
or
areas
surrounding
buildings
and
roadways.
Examples
include
compost
and
hydraulic
mulch.
In
CPG
V,
EPA
is
proposing
to
designate
fertilizers
containing
recovered
organic
materials
and
revise
the
designation
of
compost
by
adding
compost
containing
manure
or
biosolids
to
the
existing
designation.
15
#
Nonpaper
Office
Products.
Equipment
and
accessories
used
by
government
agencies
and
businesses
to
perform
daily
operational
and
administrative
functions
of
an
office.
Examples
include
toner
cartridges,
desktop
accessories,
and
waste
receptacles.
No
nonpaper
office
products
are
included
in
CPG
V.

#
Miscellaneous
Products.
Includes
all
other
products
not
covered
by
the
categories
listed
above.
No
miscellaneous
products
are
included
in
CPG
V.

IV.
DEFINITIONS
The
proposed
item
designations
and
the
purchasing
recommendations
in
the
draft
RMAN
V
use
the
term
"
recovered
materials."
The
definition
for
this
term
is
shown
below
for
the
convenience
of
the
reader.

This
definition
was
included
as
part
of
the
original
CPG
and
can
also
be
found
at
40
CFR
§
247.3.

Recovered
materials
means
waste
materials
and
byproducts
which
have
been
recovered
or
diverted
from
solid
waste,
but
such
term
does
not
include
those
materials
and
byproducts
generated
from,
and
commonly
reused
within
an
original
manufacturing
process.

I.
LANDSCAPING
PRODUCTS
A.
Compost
Made
From
Manure
or
Biosolids
1.
Item
Description
EPA
conducted
research
on
the
use
of
compost
made
from
manure
or
biosolids
in
the
United
States.
EPA
previously
designated
yard
trimmings
compost
and
food
waste
compost
as
part
of
the
CPG.

Composting
is
the
controlled
biological
process
of
decomposition
of
organic
matter
in
the
presence
of
air
to
form
a
humus­
rich
material
which
provides
organic
matter
and
nutrients
to
the
soil.
Mature
compost
(
in
which
the
composting
process
is
completed)
is
composed
of
small
brown
particles,
resembles
soil,
and
is
free
of
pathogens
and
weed
seeds.
The
U.
S.
Composting
Council
(
USCC)
defines
mature
compost
as
follows:

Compost
is
the
stabilized
and
sanitized
product
of
composting;
compost
is
largely
decomposed
material
and
is
in
the
process
of
humification
(
curing).
Compost
has
little
16
resemblance
in
physical
form
to
the
original
material
from
which
it
was
made.
Compost
is
a
soil
amendment,
to
improve
soils.
Compost
is
not
a
complete
fertilizer
unless
amended,
although
composts
contain
fertilizer
properties,
e.
g.,
nitrogen,
phosphorus,
and
potassium,
that
must
be
included
in
calculations
for
fertilizer
application
(
59
[
Federal
Register]
FR
18877).

Mixed
organic
materials,
such
as
manure,
yard
trimmings,
food
waste,
and
biosolids
(
waste­
water
treatment
plant
sludge),
must
go
through
a
controlled
heat
process
before
they
can
be
used
as
high
quality,

biologically
stable
and
mature
compost
(
otherwise
it
is
considered
mulch,
manure,
or
byproduct).
Compost
has
a
variety
of
uses
and
improves
soil
quality
and
productivity
as
well
as
preventing
and
controlling
erosion.

Animal
manures,
applied
in
solid,
semisolid,
and
liquid
forms,
have
traditionally
been
used
as
a
direct
source
of
nutrients
for
crop
production,
although
it
is
typically
not
characterized
as
a
fertilizer
(
for
the
purposes
of
the
CPG,
organic
fertilizers
were
considered
as
a
separate
item).

Compost
can
be
used
in
a
wide
range
of
applications.
It
can
be
used
as
a
substitute
for
peat
moss,

potting
soil,
topsoil,
or
other
organic
materials
in
agriculture,
horticulture,
silviculture
(
growing
of
trees),

and
in
landscaping.
In
landscaping,
compost
is
used
as
a
soil
conditioner,
soil
and
lawn
amendment,
potting
soil
mixture,
rooting
medium,
and
mulch
for
shrubs
and
trees,
and
for
restoration
and
maintenance
of
golf
course
and
other
sports
grounds.
Compost
also
can
be
used
for
treatment
of
contaminated
soils,

contaminated
stormwater
runoff,
volatile
organic
compound
emission
reduction,
and
reclamation
of
mining
sites.

2.
Rationale
for
Designation
EPA
has
concluded
that
composts
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
meet
the
statutory
criteria
for
designation.
A
final
designation
would
require
that
a
procuring
agency,
when
purchasing
compost,
purchase
compost
containing
recovered
organic
materials,
such
as
yard
trimmings,
food
waste,

animal
manure,
and
biosolids,
when
the
compost
meets
applicable
specifications
and
performance
requirements.
17
a.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
Using
manure
compost
has
great
potential
to
make
beneficial
use
of
a
large
amount
of
the
manure
produced
in
the
United
States.
In
addition,
other
materials
that
are
used
as
bulking
agents
in
manure
compost,
such
as
sawdust,
extruded
rice
husks,
straw,
leaves,
wood
chips,
corn
stalks,
and
ground
tree
and
shrub
trimmings,
can
be
diverted
from
the
solid
waste
stream
as
well.

Generally,
manure
generated
on
farms
is
applied
directly
to
crop
fields
as
a
soil
supplement.
Larger
livestock
farms
give
the
manure
away
or
sell
it
directly
to
neighboring
farms
for
agricultural
application,

and
sometimes
store
excess
manure
on
location.
Some
larger
farms
pay
for
manure
removal,
which
is
then
sold
through
a
broker
to
a
third
party.

In
the
United
States,
beef
cattle
generate
27
million
tons
of
manure
solids
annually
and
dairy
cattle
in
confinement
produce
approximately
21
million
tons
of
solids
annually.
Swine
produce
about
16
million
tons
of
solid
waste
annually.
In
1990
there
were
approximately
330
million
acres
of
cropland
and
650
million
acres
of
pasture
and
rangeland
in
the
United
States,
providing
abundant
space
for
application
of
animal
manures.

EPA
estimates
that
the
16,000
public
owned
treatment
works
in
the
United
States
generate
approximately
7
million
tons
of
sewage
sludge
annually.
Until
1992,
millions
of
tons
of
biosolids
were
dumped
into
the
Atlantic
Ocean.
This
practice,
however,
was
made
illegal
as
a
result
of
public
concern
over
ocean
pollution.
About
60
percent
of
all
sewage
sludge
is
treated
to
generate
biosolids
that
are
beneficially
used
as
a
fertilizer
on
farmland.
Of
the
remainder,
17
percent
ends
up
buried
in
a
landfill;
20
percent
is
incinerated;
and
about
3
percent
is
used
as
landfill
or
mine
reclamation
cover.

b.
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
Compost
can
be
used
in
a
variety
of
applications
including:

$
Soil
enrichment:
agriculture
(
soil
conditioning,
fertilizer
amendment,
erosion
control,
development
of
marginal
lands,
mulch,
rooting
medium,
sod
production);
silviculture;
horticulture.
18
$
Pollution
prevention
(
reduced
chemical
use
and
nonpoint
source
pollution,
reduced
VOC
emissions).

$
Pollution
remediation
(
treatment
of
contaminated
soils
and
reclamation
of
mining
waste).

Composting
converts
nutrients
into
forms
that
are
more
stable
and
less
reactive,
do
not
leach,
make
nutrients
more
available
to
plants,
and
kill
weed
seeds
and
pathogens.
EPA
has
concluded
that
composting
can
reduce
nutrient
loading
and
nonpoint
source
pollution
of
streams
and
rivers.

Microorganisms
use
many
of
the
nutrients
in
compost
and
release
them
slowly
as
they
die.

Nutrients
are
also
converted
into
forms
that
bind
with
humic
acids
(
another
byproduct
of
composting).

These
acids
hold
3­
5
times
more
nutrients
than
inorganic
soil,
holding
the
nutrients
at
the
surface
near
the
roots.
This
helps
increase
availability
and
prevents
leaching.
Composting
reduces
the
carbon­
to­
nitrogen
ratio
in
manure,
which
can
prevent
the
immobilization
of
nitrogen
by
microorganisms,
a
problem
that
can
occur
when
using
raw
manure.

Beneficial
organisms
stimulated
by
the
use
of
compost
fall
into
three
categories:
macroorganisms
(
bugs,
worms,
etc.),
bacteria,
and
fungi.

Macroorganisms
aid
composting
through
their
ability
to
breakdown
materials
into
small
pieces.

This
creates
a
larger
surface
area
on
which
bacteria
and
fungi
can
feed.
In
addition,
some
macroorganisms
are
predatory
and
may
feed
on
harmful
organisms.

Bacteria
microbes
degrade
organic
matter
into
forms
more
available
to
plants.
Many
can
also
fix
atmospheric
nitrogen
and
convert
it
into
forms
that
plants
can
use,
which
helps
decrease
the
amount
of
synthetic
fertilizers
that
must
be
applied.
Recent
research
has
also
shown
that
the
bacteria
in
compost
are
effective
in
suppressing
some
plant
diseases.
They
do
this
by
competing
for
resources,
by
secreting
antibiotics,
and
by
elevating
the
plant's
own
resistance
capabilities.

Fungi
are
essential
for
the
breakdown
of
organic
matter
and
in
compost,
fungi
are
responsible
for
creating
humic
acids.
Fungi
help
roots
uptake
water
and
nutrients
and
are
essential
to
plant
growth
and
health.
Fungi
also
free
up
nitrogen
and
carbon
for
use
by
plants.
Finally,
some
fungi
secrete
antibiotic
19
compounds
that
can
kill
disease­
causing
bacteria,
and
some
kill
and
consume
larger
pests
such
as
nematodes.

Compost
has
nearly
the
same
characteristics
as
peat
and
can
be
used
as
a
substitute,
reducing
the
impact
to
wetlands
where
peat
is
extracted.
Compost
may
become
a
feasible
alternative
to
peat
as
federal
protection
of
wetlands
increases.

Using
compost
may
have
some
climate­
related
benefits
as
well.
When
analyzing
the
composting
of
yard
trimmings,
EPA
found
that
compost
leads
to
long­
term
carbon
storage
in
degraded
soils.
The
agency
also
found
that
composting,
when
managed
properly,
does
not
generate
methane
emissions.
Properly
managed
compost
is
aerated
and
turned
to
ensure
aerobic
decomposition
(
i.
e.,
decomposition
in
the
presence
of
oxygen).
As
long
as
the
yard
trimmings
decompose
aerobically,
methane
is
not
generated.
EPA
also
noted
that
carbon
dioxide
emissions
during
decomposition
"
do
not
count"
towards
national
inventories
of
greenhouse
gas
emissions
submitted
annually
to
the
United
Nations
Framework
Convention
on
Climate
Change.
According
to
internationally
accepted
rules,
these
emissions
are
considered
part
of
the
natural
carbon
cycle
and
are
not
a
reflection
of
human
activities.
On
the
other
hand,
EPA
found
that
composting
does
result
in
minimal
carbon
dioxide
emissions
during
the
collection
and
transport
of
yard
trimmings
to
the
composting
facility.

By
reducing
the
amount
of
chemical
fertilizers
required,
net
greenhouse
gas
emissions
are
reduced
because
there
is
less
energy­
intensive
fertilizer
production.

Use
of
compost
helps
reduce
reliance
on
synthetic
chemical
fertilizers,
and
thus
reduces
the
amount
of
chemicals
entering
the
environment.
Under
USDA's
National
Organic
Program
(
NOP),
organic
farms,

which
by
definition
do
not
use
synthetic
pesticides,
herbicides,
or
fertilizers,
may
not
use
biosolid­
based
compost,
such
as
waste­
water
treatment
sludge,
if
they
wish
to
keep
their
organic
certification.
This
means
a
greater
demand
for
manure­
based
compost.
One
requirement
of
certified
organic
farming
is
the
use
of
natural
fertilizers
and
compost.
Although
a
commercial
compost
operation
may
become
USDA
certified,
it
is
not
required
to
do
so,
and
a
certified
organic
farm
is
not
required
to
use
certified
organic
compost.

However
any
compost
used
by
an
organic
farm
must
meet
the
requirements
of
USDA's
NOP
regulations,

section
205.203.
These
regulations
require
that
raw
manure
be
composted
unless
it
is
applied
to
land
used
20
for
a
non­
food
crop
or
unless
a
food
crop
is
harvested
after
a
reasonable
period
of
time
from
the
last
application
of
manure.
According
to
a
contact
at
OMRI,
compost
made
from
manure
from
livestock
that
have
been
treated
with
hormones
or
antibiotics
is
still
considered
acceptable
for
use
on
an
organic
farm.

Manure
found
in
compost
is
a
source
of
many
nutrients,
including
nitrogen,
phosphorus,

potassium,
and
others.
Nutrient
content
and
rate
of
availability
varies
widely,
depending
mostly
on
manure
source,
handling
methods,
and
water
content.
However,
nitrogen
is
often
the
main
nutrient
of
concern
for
most
crops.
Generally,
poultry
manure
is
highest
in
nitrogen
content,
followed
by
hog,
steer,
sheep,
dairy,

and
horse
manure.
Feedlot
steer
manure
must
be
applied
at
fairly
high
rates
to
provide
adequate
first­
year
nitrogen
amounts
because
of
its
lower
nitrogen
content
and
gradual
nitrogen
release
characteristics.

However,
this
leads
to
higher
nitrogen
availability
in
succeeding
years,
allowing
for
lower
annual
application
rates
to
support
plant
growth.

Table
2.
Manure
Nutrients.
(
Typical)

Nitrogen
(
N)
Phosphorus
(
P2O5)
Potassium
(
K2O)
Calcium
(
Ca)
Magnesium
(
Mg)
Organic
matter
Moisture
content
Fresh
Manure
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Cattle
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.3
0.1
16.7
81.3
Sheep
0.9
0.5
0.8
0.2
0.3
30.7
64.8
Poultry
0.9
0.5
0.8
0.4
02
30.7
64.8
Horse
0.5
0.3
0.6
0.3
0.12
7.0
68.8
Swine
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
0.03
15.5
77.6
Treated
Dried
Manure
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Cattle
2.0
1.5
2.2
2.9
0.7
69.9
7.9
Sheep
1.9
1.4
2.9
3.3
0.8
53.9
11.4
Poultry
4.5
2.7
1.4
2.9
0.6
58.6
9.2
If
improperly
managed,
the
manure
generated
by
beef
feedlot
and
dairy
operations
can
create
significant
environmental
problems,
including
human
health
issues
caused
by
contamination
of
surface
water
and
groundwater.
Using
manure
as
a
raw
material
for
compost,
as
opposed
to
applying
it
directly
to
21
the
land
or
stockpiling
it,
can
alleviate
many
of
these
problems,
while
providing
an
important
agricultural
service.

Regarding
a
connection
between
E.
coli
and
manure,
a
representative
of
the
California
Certified
Organic
Farmers
states
"
While
not
all
manures
carry
E.
coli,
manure
is
a
documented
source
of
E.
coli
contamination
and
should
thus
be
handled
cautiously
in
a
fresh
produce
production
system.

Wellcomposted
manures
are
recommended
over
the
use
of
raw
manures."
The
Organic
Trade
Association
adds
that
E.
coli
,
salmonella,
and
other
pathogens
found
in
manure
can
be
reduced
by
proper
composting.

EPA's
research
found
several
references
indicating
that
compost,
particularly
manure
compost,

may
contain
high
salt
levels.
The
California
Integrated
Waste
Management
Board's
(
CIWMB's)
compost
specification
elements
table
states
that
high
salt
concentrations
(
greater
than
4.0
Mmhos/
cm)
can
be
harmful
to
plants
and
seeds.
In
addition,
salinity
issues
are
mentioned
in
several
of
CIMWB's
organics
management
fact
sheets.
One
on
compost
use
in
orchards
states,
"
Feedstock
that
contains
large
amounts
of
salt,
such
as
animal
manure,
can
result
in
compost
that
can
be
problematic
for
orchards
in
which
the
soil
already
has
a
high
salt
content.
However,
if
the
soil
in
a
particular
orchard
does
not
have
a
history
of
high
salt
content,
salt
from
compost
or
mulch
should
not
generally
present
a
problem
for
Northern
California
orchards."
Another
fact
sheet
on
urban
compost
states
"
Too
much
salinity
will
be
detrimental
to
plant
growth.
Maximum
tolerable
salinity
level
will
depend
on
plant
species,
irrigation
water
and
soil
salinity,

amount
of
leaching
due
to
rain
and
irrigation,
and
compost
application
rate."
A
Colorado
State
University
Web
site
states
that
salt
levels
will
be
higher
in
composted
manure
than
in
raw
manure.

Composting
can
reduce
the
volume
of
raw
manure
by
as
much
two­
thirds,
and
it
can
be
applied
year­
round.
It
also
reduces
the
moisture
content
and
alters
consistency
to
a
more
spreadable
form.
These
effects
can
improve
manure
handling
and
decrease
spreading
cost.
22
Table
3.
Composition
of
Compost
vs.
Raw
Manure
Fresh
Manure
Compost
Total
1000
kg
1000
kg
Water
700
kg
300
kg
Dry
Matter
300
kg
700
kg
Nitrogen
5
kg
(
based
on
1.7%
N)
11
kg
(
based
on
1.6%
N)

Phosphorus
1
kg
(
based
on
0.33%
P)
4
kg
(
based
on
0.58%
P)

Regulations,
Standards,
and
Guidelines
There
are
a
variety
of
reference
materials
and
guidelines
available
on
manure
compost
but
no
existing
national
or
state
regulations
or
laws
regarding
manure
compost
in
particular.
Most
states
have
their
own
regulations
governing
composting
facilities
and
the
marketing
of
compost
products.
According
to
a
contact
with
Biocycle
magazine,
the
National
Resource
Conservation
Service
(
NRCS)
within
USDA
is
currently
developing
draft
guidelines
for
manure
compost.

The
USCC
is
helping
to
define
and
develop
industrywide
standards
for
composts
made
from
various
combinations
of
materials.
The
USCC
has
developed
protocols,
called
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost
(
TMECC),
which
are
standardized
methods
for
the
composting
industry
to
test
and
evaluate
compost
and
verify
the
physical,
chemical,
and
biological
characteristics
of
composting
source
materials
and
compost
products.
The
TMECC
also
includes
material
testing
guidelines
to
ensure
product
safety
and
market
claims.
The
TMECC
guidelines
form
the
basis
for
a
grant
from
the
EPA
to
the
USCC
to
develop
a
Seal
of
Testing
Assurance
(
STA)
for
the
commercial
composting
industry.

The
STA
program
includes
standards
for
testing
procedures
of
composted
materials
for
nutrients,
moisture,

salt
content,
and
chemicals.
The
USCC's
goal
is
to
get
all
composters
to
participate
in
the
program
and
to
have
compost
purchasers,
regulators,
and
users
accept
only
STA­
certified
compost
for
their
projects.

Finally,
the
USCC's
Uniform
Bills
committee
has
been
given
a
directive
to
develop
a
draft
"
Model
Compost
Law",
which
it
is
still
working
on.
23
The
U.
S.
Department
of
Transportation's
(
U.
S.
DOT)
Standard
Specifications
for
Construction
of
Roads
and
Bridges
on
Federal
Highway
Projects
1996
specifies
mature
compost
for
use
in
road
construction.
This
specification
would
be
applicable
to
use
of
manure
compost.

On
December
16,
2002,
EPA
and
USDA
finalized
a
rule
that
will
require
all
large
Concentrated
Animal
Feeding
Operations
(
CAFOs)
to
obtain
permits,
submit
annual
reports,
and
develop
and
follow
plans
for
handling
manure
and
wastewater.
This
rule
should
encourage
feeding
operations
to
compost
their
manure
as
an
agricultural
or
landscaping
product.
This
will
not
only
benefit
the
environment,
but
more
of
this
compost
will
be
available
to
government
purchasers.

In
general,
on­
farm
manure
composting
comes
under
minimal
regulations,
which
may
include
requirements
to
notify
the
proper
authorities
of
compositing
activities.
EPA;
some
state
agencies,
such
as
the
Washington
State
Department
of
Ecology;
and
some
local
agencies
have
established
guidelines
concerning
compost
production.
For
example,
for
a
region
in
the
State
of
Washington,
the
final
authority
on
manure
compost
rests
with
the
Whatcom
County
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services,
which
has
established
rules
based
on
a
tiered
system
of
feedstock
qualities.
USDA,
pursuant
to
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill,
will
be
issuing
guidelines
on
biobased
products,
which
would
include
composts
made
from
plant
or
animal
byproducts.

On
February
19,
1993,
The
Standards
for
the
Use
of
Disposal
of
Sewage
Sludge
(
Title
40
of
the
Code
of
Federal
Regulations
[
CFR],
Part
503)
was
published
in
the
Federal
Register
(
58
FR
9248
to
9404)

and
became
effective
on
March
22,
1993.
This
regulation
is
commonly
referred
to
as
`
Part
503,'
and
was
designed
to
protect
public
health
and
the
environment
from
any
potentially
adverse
effects
from
pollutants
that
might
be
contained
in
biosolids.
Part
503
establishes
rules
for
the
final
use
or
disposal
of
biosolids
when
they
are:

#
Applied
to
land
to
condition
the
soil
or
fertilize
crops
or
other
vegetation
grown
in
the
soil.

#
Placed
on
a
surface
disposal
site
for
final
disposal.

#
Fired
in
a
biosolids
incinerator.
24
Part
503
designates
different
classifications
of
biosolids,
and
are
as
follows:

#
Class
A
biosolids:
These
biosolids
are
grouped
into
two
different
categories:
"
Exceptional
Quality,"
and
"
Non­
Exceptional
Quality,"
depending
on
the
method
of
disinfection
used.
Class
A
biosolids
are
far
superior
(
2000
times
more
stringent
disinfection)
than
Class
B
biosolids
(
N­
Viro,
1999).
To
be
classified
as
Class
A,
a
biosolid
must
have
levels
of
pathogens
that
are
undetectable.

#
Class
B
biosolids:
All
Class
B
biosolids
are
Non­
Exceptional
Quality.
Biosolids
are
classified
as
Class
B
if
they
contain
detectable
levels
of
pathogens.

It
is
important
to
note
that,
in
addition
to
Part
503,
individual
state
regulations
also
apply
to
the
use
of
and
disposal
of
biosolids.
Many
states
impose
even
more
stringent
regulations
on
biosolids.
As
a
result,
it
is
important
to
be
aware
of
the
individual
state
guidelines
on
the
use
of
and
disposal
of
biosolids.

c.
Availability
and
Competition
EPA
was
not
able
to
find
an
estimate
of
the
total
number
of
composting
facilities
nationwide,
but
according
to
EPA's
"
Municipal
Solid
Waste
in
The
United
States:
2000
Fact
and
Figures"
(
EPA530­
R­
02­

001)
there
were
an
estimated
3,800
composting
facilities
for
yard
trimmings
in
2000.

EPA
did
learn,
however,
that
manure
and
manure
compost
are
widely
available
across
the
country
from
small
farms,
industrial
size­
feedlots,
commercial
compost
producers,
and
other
businesses.
The
market
for
compost
manure
is
locally
based.
For
example,
Texas
Best
Compost
near
Austin
provides
manure
compost
for
landscape
projects,
nurseries,
large
and
small
farms,
and
for
private
use.
The
company
sells
to
colleges,
schools,
the
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
and
other
public
agencies.
Magic
Valley
Compost
in
Idaho
sells
75
percent
of
its
compost
manure
at
3
tons
per
acre
to
small
local
farms,

landscapers,
school
districts,
and
golf
courses.
The
company
sells
more
than
65,000
tons
a
year.
The
market
has
been
expanding
and
the
company
has
experienced
95­
97
percent
rate
for
repeat
customers.
25
According
to
a
1998
survey
conducted
by
BioCycle,
The
Journal
of
Composting
and
Recycling,

274
biosolids
composting
facilities
were
in
operation
in
the
United
States.
Nearly
50
more
facilities
were
in
various
stages
of
planning,
design,
and
construction
(
EPA,
OWM,
MTB,
2000).

d.
Economic
Feasibility
There
are
numerous
potential
markets
for
manure
compost,
including:

°
Agriculture:
Soil
conditioning,
fertilizer
amendments,
and
erosion
control
for
vegetable
and
field
crops
and
forage
grasses;
development
of
marginal
lands;
mulching
after
conservation
seeding.

°
Silviculture:
Landspreading
as
soil
conditioner
for
evergreen
establishment;
mulching
for
woodlot
soil
improvement
and
maintenance.

°
Sod
production:
Blending
with
topsoil
to
reduce
the
amount
of
fertilizer
needed
to
establish
sod.

°
Residential
retail:
Soil
amendment
to
enrich
planting
areas;
top
dressing
for
lawns.

°
Nurseries:
Potting
mixes;
topsoil
amendment
for
areas
in
which
field
grown
trees
are
harvested
on
a
periodic
basis.

°
Delivered
topsoil:
Blending
with
marginal
topsoils
to
produce
topsoils
used
for
establishing
new
lawns
and
planting
trees
and
shrubs.

°
Landscapers:
Soil
amendment
for
lawn
establishment;
top
dressing;
mulch.

°
Landfill
cover
and
surface
mine
reclamation:
Topsoil
amendments
for
lower
grade
and
nonuniform
compost
products.

Manure
compost
provides
a
number
of
economic
advantages.
If
raw
manure
has
to
be
transported
a
significant
distance,
however,
transportation
costs
can
easily
exceed
the
value
of
the
manure.
According
to
one
contact,
manure
compost
is
lighter
than
raw
manure
due
to
a
lower
moisture
content
and
is
easier
to
26
transport.
It
also
keeps
longer
than
raw
manure
due
to
its
makeup,
which
allows
for
longer
transportation
time.

Manure
compost
can
also
greatly
offset
the
use
and
costs
of
fertilizers.
For
example,
an
Oregon
farm
estimates
that
the
use
of
chemical
fertilizers
will
be
reduced
by
as
much
as
40
percent
by
using
composted
dairy
manure
on
crops.

Organic
farming
and
the
horticulture
industry
are
growing
markets
with
opportunities
for
manure
compost.
Furthermore,
EPA
wetland
regulations
may
reduce
the
availability
of
peat,
driving
up
its
price.

Therefore,
it
is
likely
that
compost
will
become
a
more
economical
alternative
to
peat.

According
to
Resource
Recycling
Systems,
Inc.,
sludge
derived
products,
such
as
biosolids
compost,
are
less
expensive
to
produce
than
chemical
fertilizers,
while
still
containing
comparable
nutrient
content
(
RSSI,
2003).
An
example
of
the
cost
for
biosolids
compost
is
$
18.95
per
cubic
yard
(
TOP,
2003).

e.
Government
Purchasing
To
assist
in
the
development
of
federal
markets
for
compost,
a
Presidential
memorandum
entitled
"
Environmentally
and
Economically
Beneficial
Practices
on
Federal
Landscaped
Ground"
was
signed
on
April
26,
1994.
Agencies
are
encouraged
to
develop
practical
and
cost­
effective
landscaping
methods
that
preserve
and
enhance
the
local
environment.
This
memorandum
requires
the
use
of
mulch
and
compost
by
federal
agencies
and
in
federally
funded
projects.

The
Texas
Natural
Resource
Conservation
Commission
(
TNRCC)
is
working
with
the
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
(
TxDOT)
to
use
large
amounts
of
manure
compost
along
designated
TxDOT
highway
land.
During
the
past
18
months,
compost
operators
have
seen
their
sales
increase
significantly
statewide
to
more
than
250,000
cubic
yards.
TxDOT
is
expected
to
be
the
largest
governmental
purchaser
of
compost,
some
of
which
includes
manure,
over
the
next
few
years.
TxDOT
has
27
already
used
more
than
170,000
cubic
yards
of
manure
across
the
state.
This
use
is
expected
to
increase
dramatically
as
projects
progress.
TxDOT
has
also
identified
projects
among
its
participating
districts
that
will
use
in
excess
of
160,000
cubic
yardsCmore
than
half
of
its
commitment
for
the
3­
year
project.

TxDOT
has
been
using
compost
for
both
construction
and
maintenance
activities.
It
will
soon
be
expanding
use
of
compost
for
filter
berms,
which
are
placed
across
water
channels
to
filter
the
water.

TxDOT
has
developed
new
specifications
and
revised
others
to
increase
compost
use
among
its
districts.
These
cover
proper
application
and
use
of
compost
for
controlling
erosion
and
sedimentation,
and
for
establishing
vegetation
on
roadsides
after
construction
and
maintenance
activities.
The
State
of
Texas
also
offers
public
agencies
incentives
for
purchasing
compost
manure.
For
example,
the
Texas
Commission
on
Environmental
Quality
approached
TxDOT
to
purchase
more
compost
in
order
to
help
alleviate
manure
problems
and
associated
water
quality
issues
in
certain
regions
of
Texas.
TxDOT
is
taking
part
in
an
EPA
buy­
back
program,
in
which
EPA
pays
TxDOT
$
5
per
cubic
yard
of
compost
that
TxDOT
purchases
from
this
region.

The
Idaho
Department
Of
Transportation
is
also
purchasing
manure
compost
for
use
in
new
road
construction
and
reclamation.
One
compost
company
conducts
25
percent
of
their
business
with
the
Idaho
Department
Of
Transportation,
which
purchased
approximately
30,000
tons
in
the
last
4
years.
The
average
size
of
the
projects
is
4
to
5
thousand
tons.

Government
agencies
typically
use
compost
and
fertilizers
for
numerous
applications,
such
as
landscaping,
agriculture,
bioremediation,
roadside
maintenance,
and
erosion
control.
Although
EPA
does
not
know
the
exact
amounts
of
these
materials
used
by
agencies,
we
believe
it
is
significant,
and
that
manure
compost
could
be
used
in
many
of
these
applications.

There
are
many
municipalities
around
the
country
that
use
biosolids
compost
for
a
variety
of
applications.
King
County,
Washington,
has
a
contract
with
a
local
biosolids
compost
manufacturer,

GroCo,
Inc.,
and
uses
the
product
for
various
applications,
including
landscaping
projects
at
local
schools
and
rehabilitating
logging
roads
through
enhanced
growth
of
native
vegetation
(
King
County,
2002).
A
28
biosolids
compost
product
called
ComPro,
produced
in
Silver
Spring,
Maryland,
is
marketed
and
sold
around
the
District
of
Columbia
metropolitan
region.
ComPro
has
been
used
on
the
lawns
at
the
White
House,
Mount
Vernon,
The
Maryland
Governors
Mansion,
and
the
National
Arboretum
(
Metropolitan
Council,
2003).

f.
Barriers
to
Purchasing
Several
efforts
and
initiatives
should
reduce
any
barriers
to
purchasing
manure
compost.
For
example,
the
USCC's
TMECC,
which
include
material
testing
guidelines
to
ensure
product
safety
and
market
claims,
and
STA,
which
includes
standards
for
testing
procedures,
will
bring
consistency
to
the
industry
and
ensure
quality
assurance/
quality
control.
In
addition,
agencies
will
be
encouraged
and
find
it
easier
to
purchase
manure
compost
as
a
result
of
USDA's
impending
biobased
product
guidelines,
required
in
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill.
Executive
Order
13101
also
encourages
the
purchase
of
biobased
products.

Although
using
manure
compost
for
certain
applications
may
involve
higher
initial
costs,
EPA
believes
over
the
long
term,
manure
compost
will
be
cost­
effective.

Potting
soil,
top
soil,
and
peat
moss
have
long
established
markets
that
could
make
it
difficult
for
manure
compost
to
increase
in
overall
market
share.

State­
by­
state
regulations
on
the
use
and
disposal
of
biosolids
can
differ
greatly,
and
can
complicate
the
procurement
of
biosolids
compost.
In
addition,
biosolids
compost
has
become
so
popular
in
many
regions
that,
in
some
cases,
the
demand
greatly
exceeds
the
supply.
This
is
the
case
for
ComPro
in
the
District
of
Columbia
metropolitan
region.

g.
Designation
29
EPA
proposes
to
revise
the
current
compost
designation
to
include
compost
made
from
manure
or
biosolids
as
an
item
whose
procurement
will
carry
out
the
objectives
of
section
6002
of
RCRA.

Furthermore,
in
order
to
simplify
the
designation
of
compost
and
make
it
easier
for
procuring
agencies
to
track
and
report
their
purchases
of
compost,
the
Agency
is
also
proposing
to
amend
the
previous
designations
of
yard
trimmings
compost
and
food
waste
compost
and
consolidate
them
with
the
designation
of
compost
made
from
manure
or
biosolids
into
one
item
called
"
compost
made
from
recovered
organic
materials."
EPA
believes
that
these
four
organic
materials
(
i.
e.,
yard
waste,
food
waste,
manure,
and
biosolids)
are
the
most
commonly
used
in
commercially
available
compost.
EPA
is
also
aware
that
other
organic
materials
could
be
used
in
compost,
but
these
are
generally
mixed
with
one
or
more
of
the
aforementioned
materials.
For
this
reason,
EPA
is
proposing
to
use
the
general
term
"
organic
materials"
in
its
compost
designation,
rather
than
limit
the
designation
to
specific
types
of
organic
materials.

3.
Procurement
Recommendations
a.
Recovered
Materials
Content
Manure
compost
is
composed
of
10­
100
percent
manure
taken
from
farms,
racetracks,
feedlots,

dairy
barns,
poultry
houses,
and
swine
operations.
This
range
may
include
manure
and
other
excrement
contained
in
animal
bedding,
which
is
typically
added
as
a
bulking
agent
in
the
compost
process.
Bulking
agents,
which
comprise
the
non­
manure
portion
of
the
compost,
provide
structure,
allow
air
to
circulate
more
freely,
and
increase
carbon
content
of
the
compost.

For
the
most
part,
all
composted
biosolids
contain
100
percent
recovered
materials.
The
base
for
all
biosolids
compost
is
dried
sewage
sludge
 
or
"
sludge
cake"
 
which
has
gone
through
a
wastewater
treatment
process
to
remove
water
and
destroy
a
majority
of
disease­
causing
pathogens.
This
sludge
is
then
mixed
with
a
bulking
agent
for
composting.
Examples
of
bulking
agents
used
include:
wood
chips,
chipped
yard
waste,
wood
ash,
sawdust,
rice
hulls,
and
recycled
compost.

b.
Preference
Program
30
EPA
recommends
that
procuring
agencies
purchase
or
use
mature
compost
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
in
such
applications
as
landscaping,
seeding
of
grass
or
other
plants
on
roadsides
and
embankments,
as
nutritious
mulch
under
trees
and
shrubs,
and
in
erosion
control
and
soil
reclamation.

EPA
further
recommends
that
those
procuring
agencies
that
have
an
adequate
volume
of
organic
materials,
as
well
as
sufficient
space
for
composting,
should
implement
a
composting
system
to
produce
compost
from
these
materials
to
meet
their
landscaping
and
other
needs.

c.
Specifications
EPA
recommends
that
procuring
agencies
refer
to
the
U.
S.
Composting
Council's
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost
(
TMECC)
at
<
www.
compostingcouncil.
org>,
which
are
standardized
methods
for
the
composting
industry
to
test
and
evaluate
compost
and
verify
the
physical,

chemical,
and
biological
characteristics
of
composting
source
materials
and
compost
products.
The
TMECC
also
includes
material
testing
guidelines
to
ensure
product
safety
and
market
claims.
Procuring
agencies
should
also
check
for
individual
state
regulations
on
the
use
of
compost.

The
U.
S.
Department
of
Transportation's
"
Standard
Specifications
for
Construction
of
Roads
and
Bridges
on
Federal
Highway
Projects
1996,"
specifies
compost
as
one
of
the
materials
suitable
for
use
in
roadside
revegetation
projects
associated
with
road
construction.

EPA
issued
regulations
in
1993
that
limit
the
pollutants
and
pathogens
in
biosolids,
entitled
"
The
Standards
for
the
Use
or
Disposal
of
Sewage
Sludge,"
otherwise
known
as
"
the
Part
503
Biosolids
Rule."

(
40
CFR
Part
503)
If
biosolids
are
included
as
part
of
the
compost,
the
processing
and
product
are
subject
to
the
Part
503
Biosolids
Rule.
Furthermore,
if
the
finished
compost
product
meets
40
CFR
Part
503
Biosolids
Rule
Class
A
specifications
for
the
highest
level
of
pathogen
and
vector
control
(
as
described
in
31
Section
2.3.1
of
Part
503)
and
specific
metals
limits,
the
compost
product
can
be
widely
used,
like
any
other
fertilizer
or
soil­
conditioning
product.

Finally,
EPA
recommends
that
procuring
agencies
ensure
that
there
is
no
language
in
their
specifications
relating
to
landscaping,
soil
amendments,
erosion
control,
or
soil
reclamation
that
would
preclude
or
discourage
the
use
of
compost
made
from
recovered
organic
materials.

B.
FERTILIZERS
MADE
FROM
RECOVERED
ORGANIC
MATERIALS
1.
Item
Description
EPA
conducted
research
on
organic
fertilizer
use
in
the
United
States.
Although
compost
has
some
fertilizer
qualities,
for
the
purposes
of
the
CPG,
compost
is
considered
a
separate
category
and
is
not
included
in
this
discussion
of
organic
fertilizers.

USDA
defines
a
fertilizer
as
"
a
single
or
blended
substance
containing
one
or
more
recognized
plant
nutrient(
s)
which
is
used
primarily
for
its
plant
nutrient
content
and
which
is
designed
for
use
or
claimed
to
have
value
in
promoting
plant
growth".

All
plants
and
crops
require
nutrients
(
both
macro
and
micro)
to
fully
develop.
While
some
of
the
required
macronutrients,
such
as
oxygen
and
hydrogen,
are
readily
available
from
the
atmosphere,
many
of
the
other
necessary
nutrients
that
are
found
in
the
soil,
such
as
nitrogen,
phosphorus,
and
potassium
can
often
be
in
very
short
supply.
In
addition,
once
a
crop
is
harvested,
many
of
the
nutrients
that
it
relies
on
for
healthy
development
and
full
maturation
are
permanently
removed
with
it
from
the
soil.
In
order
to
compensate
for
this
limited
supply
of
vital
nutrients
and
to
provide
the
plant
with
the
necessary
environment
to
fully
mature,
fertilizers
are
often
added
to
the
soil.
The
most
essential
nutrients
 
nitrogen,

phosphorus,
and
potassium
 
are
often
expressed
as
the
N­
P­
K
ratio
following
the
name
of
a
fertilizer
(
e.
g.,

10­
10­
10).
32
Many
sources
of
organic
matter
are
available
for
the
production
of
organic
fertilizers,
including
plant
and
animal
by­
products,
manure­
based/
biosolid
products,
and
rock
and
mineral
powders.
Only
some
of
these
are
recovered
materials,
however.

Organic
fertilizers
can
be
used
to
replace
traditional
chemical
fertilizers
in
various
applications,

such
as
agriculture
and
crop
production,
landscaping,
horticulture,
parks
and
other
recreational
facilities,

on
school
campuses,
and
for
golf
course
and
turf
maintenance.

The
following
is
a
list
of
the
more
commonly
utilized
sources
of
organic
matter
that
are
used
to
produce
organic
fertilizers:

Plant
By­
Products
Alfalfa
meal:
Contains
around
three
percent
nitrogen
and
is
commonly
used
as
animal
feed.
It
is
an
excellent
fertilizer
material
for
horticultural
applications
due
to
the
fact
that
it
contains
the
hormone,
Triacontanol,
a
plant
growth
regulator
which
makes
its
mineral
content
more
effective
as
plant
nutrients.

Cottonseed
meal:
A
by­
product
of
cottonseed
oil
manufacturing,
it
is
a
rich
source
of
nitrogen
(
around
7
percent).
It
is
often
sold
in
the
form
of
meal,
cake,
flakes,
or
pellets.

Fruit
pomaces:
These
are
what
remain
after
the
juice
is
squeezed
from
the
fruit.
They
are
normally
heavy,
wet
products
and
are
more
effective
when
composted
before
use.

Soybean
meal:
Contains
about
7
percent
nitrogen
and
is
similar
to
alfalfa
in
that
it
is
most
commonly
used
as
a
protein
supplement
for
animal
feed.
Soybean
meal
can
be
a
very
effective
organic
fertilizer,
however
is
usually
quite
expensive.

Wood
ash:
Wood
ash
is
the
residue
that
remains
after
the
combustion
of
wood
or
unbleached
wood
fiber.
It
has
the
potential
to
be
used
as
a
lime
substitute.

Seaweed:
Usually
is
made
of
kelp
that
has
been
harvested,
dried,
and
ground.
However
it
may
also
be
available
in
soluble
solutions
for
foliar
spray
applications.
Seaweed
33
has
been
found
to
contain
beneficial
biostimulants
that
stimulate
growth
and
increase
yields
of
a
wide
variety
of
crops.
For
the
most
part,
none
of
the
micronutrients
found
in
seaweed
extracts
is
present
in
a
sufficient
quantity
to
solely
correct
deficiencies
found
in
most
soils,
however
seaweed
extracts
applied
as
"
tonics"
have
been
accepted
by
many
in
the
organic
agricultural
community
due
to
their
broad
array
of
micronutrients.

Animal
By­
Products
Blood
meal:
Blood
collected
from
slaughterhouse
operations,
which
has
been
dried
and
made
into
a
powder.
It
contains
about
12
percent
nitrogen.
Once
collected,
blood
is
placed
in
on­
site
cooling
tanks
that
utilize
agitation
to
prevent
coagulation
of
the
fresh
blood.
The
blood
is
then
delivered
to
drying
plants
where
it
is
centrifuged
to
remove
foreign
material.
It
is
then
spray
dried
at
low
temperatures
and
pulverized
into
a
powder.

Bone
meal:
Produced
from
animal
bones
that
have
been
discarded
during
the
processing
of
meat.
It
is
a
very
rich
source
of
phosphorus,
typically
containing
around
12
percent.
Bone
meal
is
available
in
several
different
forms:
fresh
bone
meal
(
green
bone
meal),
bone
meal
(
raw
bone
meal),
steamed
bone
meal,
and
bone
meal
ash.

Feather
meal:
A
common
by­
product
of
the
poultry
slaughter
industry.
Feather
meal
usually
contains
between
7
and
10
percent
nitrogen.
The
nature
of
feathers
is
such
that
they
tend
to
break
down
and
release
their
nitrogen
much
more
slowly
than
other
fertilizers
of
the
same
price.
Feather
meal
is
produced
by
cooking
feathers
in
a
pressurized
chamber.
The
resulting
meal
is
then
dried
and
ground
into
a
powdered
end
product.

Fish
meal:
The
clean,
dried
ground
tissue
of
undercooked
whole
fish
or
fish
cuttings,
it
contains
roughly
10
percent
nitrogen
and
about
6
percent
phosphorus.
It
is
most
commonly
used
as
an
additive
for
animal
feed,
but
can
also
be
used
as
a
fertilizer.
Fish
meal
is
produced
by
cooking
raw
fish
material
to
break
down
some
of
the
protein.
The
resulting
slurry
is
then
dehydrated
through
a
steam
heating
process.

Fish
emulsion:
Nutrient
contents
usually
vary,
depending
on
the
preparation
method,
but
the
nitrogen
content
is
typically
4
percent
regardless.
Fish
emulsion
is
sometimes
fortified
with
chemical
fertilizers.
This
is
usually
the
case
when
nitrogen
content
is
above
5
percent.
34
Leather
meal:
Ground
tannery
waste,
it
usually
contains
10
percent
nitrogen.
Leather
meal
is
prohibited
in
organic
agriculture
because
it
often
contains
about
3
percent
added
chromium.

Manure­
Based/
Biosolid
Products
Poultry
manure/
litter:
Usually
contains
between
2
and
5
percent
of
each
of
the
vital
nutrients.
Most
manure/
litter
fertilizers
are
available
in
a
pelletized
form
(
see
below).

Sewage
sludge:
Typically
available
in
two
forms:
activated
(
6­
3­
0)
and
composted
(
1­
2­
0).
Sewage
sludge
provides
soil
with
organic
matter
and
a
number
of
nutrients.
It
is
often
marketed
in
a
solid
form
with
little
odor.

Rock
and
Mineral
Powders
When
considering
the
use
of
natural
materials
like
rock,
it
is
important
to
realize
that
there
is
very
little
consistency
from
one
batch
to
another.
What
applies
in
one
region
might
not
be
pertinent
in
another
region.

Granite
dust:
Granite
is
mostly
feldspar,
a
mineral
that
is
high
in
potassium
but
has
a
very
low
solubility.
This
is
due
to
the
fact
that
feldspar
is
very
tightly
bound
in
its
mineral
structure.

Glauconite:
Commonly
sold
as
green
sand,
it
is
another
source
of
"
slowly
available"
potassium.
Green
sand
is
said
to
have
desirable
effects
on
soil
structure,
however
its
high
price
usually
limits
its
use
to
high­
value
horticultural
applications.

Biotite
(
black
mica)
Contains
several
percent
potassium,
which,
due
to
its
structure
(
unlike
that
of
feldspar
and
greensand),
is
relatively
available
in
microbially
active
environments.
When
pure
biotite
can
be
procured
at
a
reasonable
price,
it
can
be
cost­
effective
and
useful.

Organic
fertilizers
are
available
in
many
forms,
including:
liquid
solutions,
granular
powders,
and
solid
pellets.
However,
most
organic
fertilizers
that
are
manure­
based,
namely
poultry
fertilizer,
are
available
in
pellet
form.
The
process
by
which
manure­
based
organic
fertilizing
pellets
are
produced
35
(
known
as
pelletization)
is
as
follows:
1)
excess
litter
is
collected
from
farms;
2)
litter
is
transported
to
fertilizer
pellet
production
facilities;
3)
litter
is
heat­
pasteurized
to
destroy
harmful
bacteria;
4)
dried
litter
is
passed
through
a
hammer
mill
where
it
is
reduced
to
the
consistency
of
sand;
5)
granulated
litter
is
transported
to
a
pellet
mill
where
the
litter
is
formed
into
small
pellets;
6)
Pellets
are
cooled
to
ambient
air
temperature
to
ensure
product
quality.

Sewage
sludge
is
mostly
marketed
in
a
pelletized
form.
There
are
plants
in
several
cities
across
the
country
that
produce
sludge
pellets.
Sludge
pellets
can
be
made
in
a
variety
of
ways.
The
following
is
one
of
the
more
typical
methods
that
is
employed:

Raw
sewage
is
separated
into
wastewater
and
solids.
The
wastewater
is
chemically
disinfected
with
chlorine
and
then
discharged.
The
solid
material
(
raw
sludge)
is
placed
into
digesters
where
microbes
decompose
the
organic
solids
and
destroy
most
of
the
disease­
causing
pathogens.
This
sludge,
which
can
contain
up
to
97
percent
water,
is
then
mixed
with
a
coagulating
agent
and
pressed
with
wide
fabric
belts.

This
acts
to
remove
water
and
compress
the
sludge
into
sheets.
The
resulting
solid
(
referred
to
as
sludge
cake)
is
then
baked
in
a
"
tumble­
drying"
oven
that
destroys
all
pathogens
and
bacteria,
removes
up
to
90
percent
of
the
remaining
water,
and
rotates
the
sludge
into
the
final
product.

2.
Rationale
for
Designation
EPA
has
concluded
that
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
meet
the
statutory
criteria
for
selecting
items
for
designation.
36
a.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
The
use
of
organic
fertilizers
can
help
reduce
the
amount
of
agricultural
by­
products,

manufacturing
and
processing
waste,
and
other
materials
that
would
otherwise
have
to
be
disposed,

stockpiled,
or
treated.
Organic
materials
may
be
combined
with
other
waste
materials,
such
as
saw
dust
or
wood
shavings,
as
is
the
case
with
poultry
fertilizer.
The
amount
of
these
wastes
diverted
from
the
waste
stream
varies
depending
on
the
materials
used
and
the
size
of
the
farm
or
agricultural
activity
that
supplies
the
materials.

Poultry
litter,
in
particular,
presents
a
great
opportunity
for
diversion
of
waste
material.
Poultry
litter
is
collected
on
farms
and
is
sometimes
applied
directly
onto
crop
lands.
Perdue­
AgriRecycle's
pelleted
poultry
fertilizer
diverts
approximately
149,000
tons,
or
19
percent,
of
excess
poultry
litter
from
the
solid
waste
stream
in
Delaware
annually.
It
was
estimated
that
in
1997,
the
annual
production
of
poultry
litter
totaled
19.8
million
tons,
with
chickens
producing
14.4
million
tons
and
turkeys
producing
5.4
million
tons.

Conventional
alternatives
to
pelletizing
sewage
sludge/
biosolids
as
a
means
of
disposal
include
landfilling,
deep
sea
dumping,
and
incineration.
One
biosolid
pellet
production
facility
in
Quincy,

Massachusetts,
has
the
capacity
to
produce
62,000
dry
tons
of
pellets
annually.

b.
Technological
Feasibility
and
Performance
U.
S.
Code
Title
7,
Chapter
94,
which
governs
organic
certification,
only
applies
to
agricultural
food
products.
However,
it
does
state
that
to
be
certified
organic,
a
farm
must
not
use
fertilizers
containing
synthetic
ingredients
or
any
fertilizer
that
uses
phosphorus,
lime,
or
potash
as
its
source
of
nitrogen.
In
general,
states
regulate
fertilizers
through
labeling
and
permit
requirements.
37
USDA's
National
Organic
Program
has
developed
rules
governing
organic
products,
which
may
be
grown
with
organic
fertilizers.
However,
the
program
does
not
apply
to
the
fertilizers
themselves.
In
addition,
USDA,
pursuant
to
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill,
will
be
issuing
guidelines
on
biobased
products,
which
would
support
the
use
of
fertilizers
made
from
plant
or
animal
matter.

The
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute
(
OMRI)
has
developed
guidelines
and
lists
of
materials
allowed
and
prohibited
for
use
in
the
production,
processing,
and
handling
of
organically
grown
products.

OMRI
is
a
501(
c)(
3)
nonprofit
organization
with
the
mission
of
publishing
and
disseminating
generic
and
specific
(
brand
name)
lists
of
materials
allowed
and
prohibited
for
use
in
the
production,
processing,
and
handling
of
organic
food
and
fiber.

A
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
(
NPS)
emphasized
the
importance
of
knowing
the
chemistry
of
the
soil
before
applying
fertilizer.
Many
times,
this
will
influence
the
type
of
fertilizer
needed.

For
example,
for
much
of
NPS's
land
in
Washington,
DC,
the
soil
is
already
quite
high
in
phosphorus.

Therefore,
one
of
the
chemical
fertilizers
NPS
uses
has
a
18­
2­
18
analysis,
which
provides
only
2
percent
by
weight
of
phosphorus
and
higher
levels
of
nitrogen
and
potassium.
The
contact
also
added
that
NPS
follows
certain
general
guidelines,
such
as
aerating
the
soil
before
applying
fertilizer,
which
reduces
nonpoint
source
runoff
if
it
rains
soon
after
application.

Organic
fertilizers
have
the
potential
to
provide
various
benefits:

$
Improve
physical
soil
properties,
either
directly
or
by
activating
living
organisms
in
the
soil.

$
Provide
better
soil
structure
as
a
result
of
soil
loosening
and
crumb
stabilization.

$
Increase
water­
holding
capacity
and
soil
aeration.

$
Enhance
uptake
and
utilization
of
plant
nutrients,
which
leads
to
increased
pathogen
resistance
and
hardiness.

$
Slow
the
leaching
of
nutrients
from
soil,
resulting
in
extended
availability
through
the
growing
season.
38
Chemical
fertilizers
can
be
a
major
source
of
groundwater
pollution
because
the
nitrogen
is
in
such
a
soluble
form
that
it
tends
to
leach
from
the
point
of
application.
Chemical
fertilizers
can
injure
plants
if
they
aren't
washed
or
brushed
off
foliage.

According
to
one
manufacturer
of
a
liquid
organic
fertilizer
made
from
fish
and
fish
frames
obtained
from
a
filleting
operation,
one­
fourth
to
one­
half
the
total
nitrogen
per
acre
should
be
used
when
using
the
fish­
based
fertilizer
compared
to
the
recommended
equivalent
of
chemical
fertilizers.
However,

this
high
nitrogen
property
is
unique
to
fish
fertilizers.
Typically,
the
nitrogen
level
of
organic
fertilizers
is
lower,
so
more
product
must
be
applied
per
acre.
The
same
manufacturer
states
that
the
gradual
release
by
microorganisms
in
the
soil
for
plant
use
provides
a
much
more
efficient
transfer
of
nutrients
from
the
fertilizer
to
the
plant,
and
leaching
is
virtually
eliminated.
Furthermore,
the
company
says
that
the
alkaline
fraction
of
the
soil
will
continue
to
be
reduced
because
organic
fertilizers
do
not
utilize
salt
as
a
carrier.

As
previously
mentioned,
nitrogen
in
an
organic
fertilizer
is
slow
in
becoming
available
for
plant
use
because
the
nutrient
must
be
reduced
by
microorganisms
before
it
can
be
utilized.
As
such,
one
potential
drawback
to
organic
fertilizers
is
that
they
may
not
release
enough
of
their
principal
nutrient
at
a
time
to
give
the
plant
what
it
needs
for
best
growth.
However,
because
organic
fertilizers
release
their
nutrients
slowly,
it
is
almost
impossible
to
kill
lawns
or
plants
by
applying
too
much,
which
is
not
the
case
with
chemical
fertilizers.

The
contact
from
NPS
indicated
that
it
is
possible
to
find
chemical
fertilizers
that
have
a
high
percentage
of
water­
insoluble
nitrogen,
which
is
more
slowly
released
than
water­
soluble
nitrogen,

mitigating
some
of
the
risk
of
leaching
associated
with
water­
soluble
nitrogen.

There
are
some
drawbacks
associated
with
certain
organic
fertilizers.
One
drawback
to
cottonseed
meal
is
that
there
are
often
harmful
residues
in
the
seeds
as
a
result
of
insecticide
applications
to
cotton.
As
a
result,
most
organic
certification
programs
prohibit
the
use
of
cottonseed
meal.
Although
wood
ash
can
be
an
effective
fertilizer,
it
may
be
contaminated
with
heavy
metals
or
plastic,
it
often
has
a
high
salt
39
content,
it
is
rather
alkaline,
and
excessive
use
can
be
damaging
to
soils.
If
not
used
properly,
blood
meal
can
burn
plants
with
ammonia,
lose
much
of
its
nitrogen
through
volatilization,
or
encourage
fungal
growth.
The
most
significant
problem
with
sludge
fertilizer
is
the
heavy
metals
from
industrial
waste
and
the
assorted
chemical
contaminants
from
various
things
poured
down
drains.
Contamination
by
these
heavy
metals
and
chemicals
makes
sludge
fertilizers
unsuitable
for
application
on
food
crops.
At
least
38
states
regulate
the
production
of
sludge
fertilizer
and
its
use
is
prohibited
in
all
certified
organic
production.

c.
Availability
and
Competition
There
are
only
a
few
organic
fertilizer
companies
that
operate
nationally;
most
have
local
or
regional
sales.
According
to
a
contact
at
the
Organic
Trade
Institute,
there
are
approximately
150
to
200
organic
fertilizer
manufacturers
and
another
200
or
more
companies
that
manufacture
conventional
and
some
organic
products.
These
manufacturers
vary
in
size,
products,
as
well
as
the
markets
that
they
serve.

An
organic
farmers
survey
conducted
by
the
Organic
Farming
Research
Foundation
in
Santa
Cruz,

California,
indicates
that
more
farmers
use
available
on­
farm
materials,
rather
than
off­
farm
materials
(
fertilizers,
organic
minerals,
etc.)
as
soil
amendments.
Those
who
do
purchase
off­
farm
materials
prefer
organic
fertilizers
and
soil
amendments
to
inorganic
materials.

The
increasing
size
of
poultry
facilities
and
the
frequent
cleaning
out
of
many
poultry
operations
make
poultry
manure
available
in
sufficient
quantities
and
on
a
timely
basis
to
supply
most
fertilizer
production
needs.
Markets
for
poultry
fertilizer
markets
are
generally
local,
but
there
are
various
manufacturers
of
poultry
fertilizer
products
operating
in
different
states,
including
Delaware,
Maryland,

Arkansas,
Indiana,
Mississippi,
Missouri
and
Pennsylvania.

d.
Economic
Feasibility
40
Organic
fertilizers
may
be
more
expensive
than
chemical
fertilizers.
The
contact
at
Perdue­

AgriRecycle
indicated
that
the
company's
poultry
fertilizer
is
marketed
commercially
and
is
priced
similar
to
the
general
fertilizer
market.
In
particular,
blood
meal
and
bone
meal
are
typically
very
expensive.
A
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
(
NPS)
indicated
that
the
organic
fertilizers
they
use
cost
$.
40
to
$.
50
per
pound,
and
the
chemical
fertilizer
they
use
costs
only
$.
20
per
pound.
Moreover,
if
a
property
required
a
typical
application
of
45
pounds
of
nitrogen
per
acre,
it
would
require
800
pounds
of
the
organic
fertilizer
vs.
200
pounds
of
the
chemical
fertilizer,
further
increasing
the
cost.
NPS
uses
both
types
of
fertilizer,
but
the
contact
indicated
that
they
are
probably
more
likely
than
other
agencies
to
use
a
higher
level
of
organics
based
simply
on
the
nature
of
their
work.

e.
Government
Purchasing
Most
government
agencies
would
likely
purchase
fertilizers
indirectly
via
a
contracted
landscaping
service.
However,
a
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
indicated
that
an
agency
is
at
liberty
to
specify
a
particular
type
or
nutrient
analysis
for
any
type
of
fertilizer
(
organic
or
synthetic)
they
would
like
to
use
for
a
particular
application.
NPS
uses
mainly
two
types
of
organic
fertilizerCa
product
called
Milorganite,

which
is
a
pelleted
form
made
from
biosolids,
and
Fertile
Grow,
which
is
made
from
poultry
litter.
The
contact
said
that
NPS
will
almost
automatically
use
organic
fertilizers
for
a
special
event
for
which
the
funding
is
being
provided
from
outside
the
agency.
For
example,
for
an
event
on
the
National
Mall,
such
as
the
Million
Man
March,
NPS
would
use
organic
fertilizer
when
re­
sodding
following
the
event.
Still,
due
to
economics,
using
organic
fertilizer
for
all
applications
would
be
cost­
prohibited,
according
to
the
contact.

Their
general
use
fertilizer
is
a
an
18­
2­
2
chemical
fertilizer.

Natural
Organic
Products
International
sells
some
poultry
fertilizer
to
local
cities
and
townships.

The
State
of
Florida
also
plans
to
purchase
some
poultry
fertilizer
for
use
in
median
landscaping.
One
manufacturer
of
organic
fertilizer
that
EPA
contacted
sells
their
product
to
wholesale
distributors,
which
is
then
sold
to
nurseries,
golf
courses,
and
gardening
stores.
Many
city
Parks
and
Recreation
Departments,

such
as
the
Town
of
Shawnee
near
Kansas
City,
are
moving
towards
purchasing
more
organic
fertilizer
because
they
find
them
safer
than
chemical
fertilizer
for
children
using
those
parks
.
41
TxDOT
is
currently
purchasing
organic
fertilizer
for
use
by
its
Houston
District.
The
organic
fertilizer
are
purchased
through
local
suppliers.
A
contact
at
TxDOT
indicated
that
the
purchase
of
organic
fertilizer
will
be
increasing
in
the
future.

f.
Barriers
to
Purchasing
According
contacts
at
NPS
and
the
General
Services
Administration,
there
are
no
known
requirements
or
regulations
that
would
prohibit
government
agencies
from
procuring
organic
fertilizers.

However,
the
higher
cost
of
organic
fertilizer
could
likely
make
them
prohibitively
expensive
for
overall
use
by
most
agencies.

g.
Designation
EPA
proposes
to
designate
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
as
an
item
whose
procurement
will
carry
out
the
objectives
of
section
6002
of
RCRA.
A
final
designation
would
require
that
a
procuring
agency,
when
purchasing
fertilizers,
procure
those
that
contain
recovered
organic
materials
when
they
meet
applicable
specifications
and
performance
requirements.

3.
Procurement
Recommendations
a.
Recovered
Materials
Content
Organic
fertilizers
contain
up
to
100
percent
recovered
materials
and
can
have
a
mixture
of
various
plant,
animal,
and
mineral
content
depending
on
the
desired
use
and
the
manufacturer.

Most
manure­
based
organic
fertilizer
pellets
contain
100
percent
litter,
and
have
no
additional
products
added.
There
are
other
animal­
based
fertilizer
pellets,
such
as
those
containing
fish
and
bone
meal
42
that
use
a
similar
pelletization
process.
Many
of
these,
however,
have
additional
organic
material
added,

such
as
feather
meal,
alfalfa
meal,
and
sunflower
seed
hull
ash.

Poultry
fertilizer
typically
is
produced
from
poultry
house
litter,
which
includes
the
bedding
material,
manure,
feathers,
and
spilled
food.
Bedding
is
used
with
broiler
chickens
and
turkeys
and
may
be
made
from
sawdust,
wood
shavings,
peanut
or
rice
hulls,
or
paper.
It
is
organic,
but
contains
minimal
nutritional
value.
A
litter
base
consists
of
litter
with
added
chemical
components,
such
as
urea,
sulphate
of
potash,
di­
ammonia
phosphate,
iron,
or
other
chemicals.
Third­
party
companies
are
often
hired
to
clean
farms
and
then
store
and
dry
the
poultry
litter.
This
litter
can
then
be
purchased
by
companies
for
processing
into
fertilizer.

b.
Preference
Program
EPA
recommends
that
procuring
agencies
purchase
or
use
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
in
such
applications
as
agriculture
and
crop
production,
landscaping,
horticulture,
parks
and
other
recreational
facilities,
on
school
campuses,
and
for
golf
course
and
turf
maintenance.

c.
Specifications
EPA
recommends
procuring
agencies
refer
to
the
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute
(
OMRI)
at
<
www.
omri.
org>,
which
has
developed
guidelines
and
lists
of
materials
allowed
and
prohibited
for
use
in
the
production,
processing,
and
handling
of
organically
grown
products.
Procuring
agencies
should
also
check
for
individual
state
regulations
on
the
use
of
organic
fertilizers.

In
addition,
as
mentioned
above,
biosolids
can
be
used
in
the
production
of
organic
fertilizer
and
must
meet
the
requirements
specified
in
EPA's
Part
503
Biosolids
Rule
before
they
can
be
beneficially
used.
The
40
CFR
Part
503
Biosolids
Rule
land
application
requirements
ensure
that
any
biosolids
that
are
land
applied
contain
pathogens
and
metals
that
are
below
specified
levels
to
protect
the
health
of
humans,

animals,
and
plants.
43
In
proposing
to
designate
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials
in
the
CPG,
EPA
is
not
placing
any
limitations
on
the
organic
materials,
but
rather
is
relying
on
federal,
state,
and
local
regulations
and
guidance,
as
well
as
existing
industry
standards.
EPA
is
requesting
comment
on
whether
it
should
place
any
limitations
on
the
recovered
organic
materials
contained
in
the
fertilizers
that
the
Agency
is
today
proposing
to
designate
in
the
CPG,
and
on
what
those
limitations
should
be.
EPA
is
also
seeking
comment
and
information
on
any
other
specifications
which
we
should
recommend
that
pertain
to
fertilizers
made
with
recovered
organic
materials.

Finally,
EPA
recommends
that
procuring
agencies
ensure
that
there
is
no
language
in
their
specifications
relating
to
landscaping
or
soil
that
would
preclude
or
discourage
the
use
of
organic
fertilizers
made
from
recovered
organic
materials.

VI.
ITEMS
BEING
CONSIDERED
FOR
FUTURE
DESIGNATION
EPA
has
begun
researching
and
gathering
information
on
the
following
items.
EPA
requests
information
on
these
items,
especially
information
on
recovered
content
levels
and
any
specifications
or
standards
that
might
exist
for
each
item.

Asphalt
Computers/
Electronics
Industrial
Ceramics
Offset
Guardrail
Blocks
Roofing
Sealants
Refuse­
derived
Fuel
VII.
DESIGNATED
ITEM
AVAILABILITY
EPA
has
identified
a
number
of
manufacturers
and
vendors
of
the
items
proposed
for
designation.

Once
the
item
designations
in
today's
proposal
become
final,
a
list
of
these
companies
will
be
placed
in
the
44
RCRA
docket
for
this
action
and
will
be
added
to
EPA's
CPG
Supplier
Database,
which
is
accessible
from
the
CPG
Web
site
<
www.
epa.
gov/
cpg>.
This
database
will
be
updated
periodically
as
new
sources
are
identified
and
product
information
changes.
Procuring
agencies
should
contact
the
manufacturers
and
vendors
directly
to
discuss
their
specific
needs
and
to
obtain
detailed
information
on
the
availability
and
price
of
recycled
products
meeting
those
needs.

Other
information
is
available
from
the
GSA,
DLA,
state
and
local
recycling
offices,
private
corporations,
and
trade
associations.
Refer
to
Appendix
II
of
this
document,
for
more
detailed
information
on
these
sources
of
information.

VIII.
ECONOMIC
IMPACT
ANALYSIS
Details
of
the
economic
impact
of
CPG
V
are
described
in
the
document
entitled
Economic
Impact
Analysis
for
the
Proposed
Comprehensive
Procurement
Guideline
V,
which
is
included
in
the
RCRA
Docket
for
CPG
V.

IX.
SUPPORTING
INFORMATION
"
Manure
Compost
Marketing
Guide,"
Washington
State
Cooperative
Extension,
2002.

"
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost,"
The
U.
S.
Composting
Council,
May
2002.

"
Managing
Nonpoint
Source
Pollution,"
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
1992.

"
Organic
Materials
Management
Strategies,"
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
July
1999.

"
Agricultural
ByproductsCExecutive
Summary,"
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture,
May
2002.

Organic
Materials
Review
Institute,
<
www.
omri.
org>,
2002.
45
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture
National
Organic
Program,
<
www.
ams.
usda.
gov/
nop>,
2002.