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Sustainable Purchasing Program
About our program
King County’s policies require the purchase of sustainable products and services that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.
The Sustainable Purchasing Program provides county personnel with information and technical assistance, including the Sustainable Purchasing Guide, to identify sustainable attributes of products and services, required and relevant environmental standards and certifications or "ecolabels" for several commodities and available contracts with sustainable products.
Sustainable Purchasing Guide
This guide balances economic, social, and environmental purchasing considerations. Search the Guide
Ask yourself...
- Can you avoid the purchase?
- Can you repurpose what you have?
- Can you get it secondhand from Surplus?
See what's available at the Surplus warehouse (707 S. Orcas St) or add items to your wish list; they'll notify you if it comes in. Email kcsurplus@kingcounty.gov
Need furniture for your workspace? Try FMD’s pilot "New to You Market" pilot program for used furniture.
If you must purchase...
- Check for green contracts (even if it costs less than $10,000). We've already negotiated a great deal!
- Don't see what you need? You can "piggyback" off a contract from another public agency or national cooperative group to save time.
Look for these environmental attributes:
- Ecolabels – Ecolabels tell you if a product is certified as having met environmental standards.
- made with recycled content
- recyclable/compostable
- reusable or durable
- low: toxicity, VOCs, energy, or water
- biobased
- PFAS free
Look for small and minority and women owned businesses:
Small Contractor and Suppliers (SCS) – King County certification program
Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (OMWBE) – certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE)
Look for King County’s existing recycling and waste management contracts
- Reuse items, or surplus if the products are in working areas
- Compost and recycle
- Recycle, or take-back with supplier/manufacturer
- Dispose of hazardous waste correctly
- Use the handy lookup tool "What Do I Do With...?" to determine proper disposal for common items.
