San Francisco’s Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance was passed in 2005, lead by the Department of the Environment (SFE) and the Office of Contract Administration (OCA).

SFE has worked to institute environmentally preferable specifications for 15 product types in 10 citywide commodities contracts. Green cleaning products purchases by the City have increased from less than 1% to 55% within this product category, with janitorial papers increasing to 89%, and office papers to 93%.

Major accomplishments to date include completion of the 12 SF Approved Product lists, new contract awards for janitorial cleaners, janitorial papers, janitorial supplies, and compostable food containers, development of draft environment specifications and language for the new citywide Information Technology Store contract, an experimental effort to enlist City vendors in providing green product sales data, and active participation in national standards development for cleaning products and compact fluorescent lamps.

In order for future implementation to be successful, the City identified the following to be crucial steps: securing funds for a full-time Green Purchasing Coordinator; enlarging the role of city vendors; and replacing the City’s purchasing software.

The City has utilized various communications in implementing the ordinance:
• Create and hold meetings with City Green Teams (stakeholder groups comprised of City employees); establish user groups/green teams for each relevant product area (IPM Technical Advisory Committee is the oldest among these, meeting monthly since 1998)
• Maximize use of electronic outreach methods: design web pages to include checklists to make it easier for City employees to learn how they can be in compliance with SFE’s Green Purchasing, IPM, Toxic Disposal Programs; additionally, supply information regarding where to buy approved products
• Use a contractor – if it will save time and money
• Create posters displaying where city employees should safely dispose of batteries, lighting, chemicals, electronics, other toxics to place at point of decision-making

: The Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance has the support of the Bay Area Working Group – an assembly of nonprofits and City staff that drafted and played a significant role in the passing of the ordinance. The nonprofits included in this process were Commonwealth, Breast Cancer Action, Breast Cancer Fund, Clean Water Action, Bayview-Hunters Point Community Advocates, and Healthy Children Organizing Project.

Throughout 2008, City staff worked to reduce the amount of time it takes to increase the number of Approved Products by harmonizing specifications of San Francisco with regional, national, and international initiatives. Results of this effort include:
• Developed SF’s 2009 lamps, ballasts, fixtures contract, they will also be to be aligned with specifications from SF EnergyWatch Program, and SF, CA, EU laws
• Communicated to custodial supervisors that when they buy SF Approved Janitorial Cleaning Products, they can earn points for LEED for Existing Buildings
Adopted EPEAT Gold and (pending) Climate Savers Computing
• Initiative standards for purchases of desktops/laptops/monitors and servers (respectively)

A cost analysis of San Francisco EPP efforts to date concludes:

• Purchase costs are generally comparable to traditional products and meet most city needs
• There is an average savings of about $63,745 per year if all City janitors use EPP products; savings are attributable to cheaper packaging, shipping, decreased product use, as well as avoided injuries.
• EPP product adoption by the City’s fleet and building maintenance employees can amount to approximately $32,110 per year.
• Although environmentally preferable lamps (compact fluorescents) cost 10 times more, the derived future energy costs create a payback period of 2-4 months.
• Replacing incandescent exit signs with LED signs will reduce replacement frequency from once/4 months to once/ten years, saving about $15 per sign/year in labor and $12/year in energy.

Regarding City staff commitment, the total time allocated to green purchasing activities amounted to approximately 2.5 staff positions.