The City of Los Angeles seeks to conserve and enhance our local and global natural resources; promote and support a vibrant, diverse, and equitable economy; safeguard human health and the environment; and improve the livability of the City's neighborhoods without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.

What is Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Executive Order 13101 defines EPP as "products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, re-use, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product or service.

Why an EPP Statement?

Since the 1980's, the City of Los Angeles, as have many municipalities, have had a Buy Recycled Program to protect the environment by helping to create a market and jobs for recycled-content products, stabilizing the markets for recycled materials from curb side recycling programs, protecting natural resources and extending the life expectancy of local landfills.

As a natural progression to such environmental policies, the City recognizes that a more comprehensive Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy is needed so its purchasing decisions are based on environmental factors including but not limited to recycled-content.

By adopting this EPP Statement, the City recognizes its role as a major purchaser of goods and services. The City shall seek opportunities to enhance markets for environmentally preferable products through employee education; encourage pilot testing of potential new products; adopt innovative product standards, specifications, and contracts; and embark on cooperative ventures with other jurisdictions.