Amendment to Executive Order No. 12873

This executive order amends Executive Order 12873 to increase recycled content requirements for federal paper procurement. It raises postconsumer material standards from 20% to 30% for certain paper types by December 31, 1998, adds an alternative 50% recovered materials standard for all printing and writing papers, and requires the Federal Environmental Executive to consult with the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Federal Register Open PDF 61 FR 13645

Impact dates

Dec 31, 1998
30% postconsumer materials standard takes effect
Dec 31, 1994
20% postconsumer materials standard effective (already past at signing)

Key directives

Amend Section 504(a) of EO 12873 to set 20% postconsumer minimum (retroactive to December 31, 1994) and increase to 30% beginning December 31, 1998
Delete Section 504(b) and redesignate 504(c) as 504(b) with alternative 50% recovered materials standard
Require Federal Environmental Executive to consult with CEQ Chairman

Timeline

Immediate

Federal Environmental Executive must now consult with CEQ Chairman

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

30% postconsumer content standard takes effect December 31, 1998
Alternative 50% recovered materials standard becomes available ongoing

Risks & tensions

Retroactive effective date (December 31, 1994) suggests procedural compliance rather than new substantive burden at signing
Alternative 50% standard delegation to state landfill waste determinations may create interstate inconsistency
Modest institutional reach: affects federal procurement rules, not private sector directly