Sec. 4a-67a. Efforts to increase state purchase of goods containing recyclable materials and goods capable of being recycled or remanufactured.

(a) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall, whenever practicable, make efforts to increase state procurement of goods that contain recycled materials and products that are recyclable or remanufactured, as defined in subsection (c) of section 4a-59. Such efforts may include: (1) Requiring replies to state agency bid specifications to include a statement of postconsumer and secondary waste content; (2) establishing minimum goals for state purchase of white bond and other paper with specified postconsumer and secondary waste content and a schedule for the accomplishment of such goals; (3) requiring bids to be accompanied by statements assessing the ability of the materials to be recycled or products to be recycled or remanufactured and assessing the extent to which there are established recycling programs which would facilitate recycling or remanufacturing; (4) authorizing the Department of Administrative Services to substitute similar but different paper products to meet agency orders if the substitute has a higher postconsumer waste content; (5) requiring the Department of Administrative Services to revise a specification to eliminate requirements which favor virgin over recycled materials unless there is a compelling reason for the specification; (6) requiring the commissioner to investigate and report to the Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Advisory Council opportunities for purchase of materials containing postconsumer waste; and (7) requiring the state to utilize two-sided copies, whenever possible, to reduce paper waste.

(b) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall post on the department's Internet web site information regarding the department's efforts to increase state procurement of goods that contain recycled materials and products that are recyclable or remanufactured.

(c) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall revise the specifications for products and materials purchased by the state for which the United States Environmental Protection Agency has guidelines for minimum recycled content to incorporate such minimum guidelines. Such specifications shall favor recycled, recyclable or remanufactured products and materials where such products or materials are available.

(P.A. 88-231, S. 1; P.A. 93-367, S. 3; P.A. 94-153, S. 2; P.A. 99-213, S. 4; P.A. 12-205, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 93-367 amended Subsec. (b) to delete requirement that report be submitted to municipal solid waste recycling advisory council and added Subsec. (c) re revision of purchasing specifications; P.A. 94-153 amended Subsec. (c) to delete a provision regarding an aggregate price preference for any fiscal year; P.A. 99-213 amended Subsec. (a) to require preparation and updating of plan to increase state procurement of products that are recyclable or remanufactured and amended Subsec. (c) to require bid specifications for products and materials purchased by state to favor recyclable or remanufactured products; P.A. 12-205 amended Subsec. (a) to replace language requiring preparation of a plan with language requiring commissioner to make efforts to increase state purchase of recycled or recyclable goods, deleted former Subsec. (b) re submission of report re implementation of the plan and added new Subsec. (b) requiring commissioner to post information re department's efforts on its web site, effective July 1, 2012.