Toxic Product Alternative
Memo
To: Member Communities
From: Operations Subcommittee
Date: February 20, 2014
Subject: Low Toxic Product Purchase Plan
The Oversight Committee of the Devens HHW recognizes the importance of continued education. The committee encourages communities to institute a low toxic product purchase and alternatives to toxics plan. Steps may include the following.
- Explore the effective, alternative products now available to the current toxic substances purchased. Subscribe to the UMass Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) Greenlist Bulletin by emailing mary@turi.org and search their toxics use reduction library at www.turi.org/About/Library.
- Use latex based paint instead of oil-based. Buy the right amount of paint for projects by measuring the height and width of the space to be painted or use this paint calculator www.paintcare.org/calculator.php.
- Post Poison Control Hotline 1-800-222-1222
The US EPA has valuable resources in the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, or EPP, program which seeks the overall best value, taking into account price competitiveness, availability, regulatory requirements, performance, and environmental impact. Information on their guides can be found at www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/pfs.htm.
Reducing the use of toxic products and measuring before you buy will help you save money, the environment and the space needed to store your unused products and paint.