Vehicles and Related Products

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Motor Oil

Re-refined engine oil conserves resources while saving your agency money. This environmentally preferable and cost-effective product is manufactured to the same high quality standards for refining, compounding, and performance as virgin oil. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), extensive testing from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Army shows that it can even out-perform virgin oil.

Antifreeze

Each day, Minnesota produces hundreds of gallons of waste antifreeze (or "engine coolant"). Special rules apply to waste antifreeze, which is toxic, and precautions must be taken to ensure its proper management. Some shops have solved this problem by buying their own recycling equipment or by using a service to recycle antifreeze. These practices not only solve the waste disposalThe act of getting rid of unwanted items and material having no value in excess of their basic material content. Mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) is typically disposed of at landfills, mixed-waste composting facilities, or energy recovery facilities. problem but also provide usable reformulated antifreeze, eliminating the need to purchase more.

Parts Washing

In the course of routine cleaning, many shops use parts washing systems for engines and other equipment parts. Parts washing systems include standardA characteristic or set of characteristics for an item, generally accepted by the manufacturers and users of the item as a required characteristic for all such items. recirculating parts washers, distillation units, and those with multiple filters. In choosing the right parts cleaning system, shops should evaluate both the equipment and the cleaning solvent it uses.

Retread Tires

For most fleets, tires represent the third largest item in the operating budget, right after labor and fuel. When vehicle tires have become worn, many can be refurbished with new tread. Retreading bonds new tread to the tire body using a process very similar to the manufacture of a new tire. This not only saves on the cost of having to dispose of the tire, but also saves 30% to 50% of the cost to purchase a new one.

Traffic Control Products

Today's savvy buyer of traffic control products favors recycled contentThe portion of a product that is made from materials diverted from the waste stream, usually stated as a percentage by weight.. From safety cones and barricades to parking stops and traffic control devices, products containing up to 100% recycled content are widely available. These products feature high quality and durability at a cost that is competitive with virgin products.

Road Aggregate

Far from being a new idea, much experience has demonstrated the value of using recycled materials as a supplement to natural aggregate in roads. Both in cost and performance, recycled aggregates have successfully proven themselves in many engineering applications by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) as well as county and city public works departments. Portland cement concrete pavements are commonly recycled and used in place of virgin aggregate as base material. Several Minnesota counties have also used recycled glass in road base, and more public works departments are expected to do so, too.

Alternative Fueled Vehicles: FFVs & HEVs

By 1999, increased concentrations of air toxics across parts of Minnesota had exceeded health guidelines and increased the risk of cancer, according to a study published that year by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). As the MPCA observed, a major source of this air pollution comes from cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Minnesota is not alone in addressing this concern. Nationally, car manufacturers and government are looking more closely at adopting cleaner fuels and tightening tailpipe emission standards. Two options gaining popularity are ethanol-fueled and hybrid electric vehicles.

Manhole Adjusting Rings

The next time you drive over a manhole, you just might be driving over recycled plastic. One Minnesota company, Ladtech, Inc., manufactures molded plastic manhole adjusting rings - the part used to raise manhole covers up to street level after road surfacing. These 100% plastic rings can replace traditional non-recycled concrete rings. As many as 50 milk jugs and detergent bottles are recycled to make a single 27-inch plastic ring, and the product can last up to three times longer than concrete.

Alternative Fuels for Vehicles

Motor vehicles are the largest contributor to air pollution. The use of alternative fuels can reduce the harmful pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

Wheel Weights/Tire Balancing

Lead is a toxic metal that negatively impacts human health and the environment. Although lead has long been banned from paint and gasoline, it is still the predominant material used in wheel weights. An estimated 70,000 tons/year of lead is used worldwide in the manufacture of wheel weights - with about 2,000 tons falling from vehicle rims and onto roadways and parking areas every year.

Using the Symbols

Less Hazardous
Products containing hazardous chemicals can pose health risks to employees and the public, as well as threaten the environment. In addition, hazardous products often require special and costly waste disposal methods. Buy products that are labeled with none of the following signal words or those with the lowest level of hazard possible (but that still get the job done).
- Caution: mild to moderate hazard
- Warning: moderate hazard
- Danger: corrosive, extremely flammable, or highly toxic
- Poison: highly toxic
If less-hazardous alternatives are not readily available, use the least amount of a hazardous product needed to accomplish a task. Use up all of the product before throwing the container or packaging away.
Conserves Energy
Reducing energy use is important because most energy production contributes to problems such as carbon dioxide emissions (tied to global warming), mercury releases, acid rain, volatile organic compounds, and nuclear waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy developed the Energy Star label to help purchasers identify energy-efficient products. These products reduce utility bills and help the environment.
Recycled Content
Recycled-content products save energy and resources, while also keeping waste out of landfills and incinerators. Recycled-content products can be made with post-consumer content, pre-consumer content, or a mix of both. Products made with post-consumer recycled content support our recycling programs at home and at work. If people do not buy products with post-consumer recycled content, manufacturers will no longer want the paper, cans, glass, or plastic we separate from trash. Pre-consumer content comes primarily from manufacturer scrap, and as such does not directly support such recycling efforts.
Prevents Waste
Minnesota generates over 5 million tons of municipal solid waste annually, and this amount is increasing every year. Much of this waste comes from disposable and over-packaged products. Preventing waste can conserve natural resources and avoid the need to build new, expensive waste disposal facilities. You prevent waste when:
- Reducing the amount of material you buy to accomplish any task;
- Reusing a product in its original form; or
- Using repairable, refillable, or durable products.
Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs evaporate ("volatilize") easily at room temperature and often have a sharp smell. They are contained in many products, such as office equipment, adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, paints, solvents, pesticides, and cleaning products. Some VOCs can cause cancer in certain situations, especially when they are concentrated indoors. When VOCs hit sunlight, they create ozone, an air pollutant harmful to both people and plants. Many low-VOC versions of products reduce risks to human health and the environment.
Conserves Water
Less than 1% of the Earth's water is available for human consumption. There is no "new" water on Earth. Dry spells have reminded us that our water supply can be threatened - even in the Land of 10,000 Lakes - resulting in watering bans in some municipalities. Choosing products and services that conserve water, such as automatic flushers and low-flow faucets and toilets, can conserve this vital resource while reducing water and sewer bills.
End of Life Management
What happens to a product after we use it? Some materials cannot go in the trash because they are hazardous in some way and therefore need separate - and sometimes expensive - special management. Some products are more easily recycled than others that do the same job. Making wiser buying choices can prevent a disposal concern at the end of a product's useful life, keep hazardous materials out of the environment, and expand options for recycling and reuse.

Use these symbols throughout this Guide to reduce your impact.
Rollover to learn more or view the complete symbols list.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, 4/00. The SWMCB includes members from the Minnesota metropolitan counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington, with ex-officio members from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Last Revised August 7, 2008 - 4:51pm

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