Our building has a comprehensive recycling program, part of which includes collecting organic material for composting. This material is collected in BPI-Certified compostable bags, as required by our local commercial composting facility.
According to our understanding of IEQc3.3, we need to include purchases of these bags as “plastic trash can liners.” Because they do not contain recycled content, they will work against us in achieving this credit even though they are purchased as a direct component of our sustainability efforts. Since these liners comprise almost 15% of the building's total spending on cleaning supplies, this will have a significant negative impact on our ability to achieve this credit.
We propose two possible methods for alternative compliance on this credit:
1. Exclude these liners from tracking altogether because they are not truly petroleum-based "plastic trash can liners,"
OR
2. Include them for credit as an environmentally superior product vs. a liner that is petroleum-based (ie: Rapidly Renewable)
The biodegradable/compostable trash can liners must be included in the purchases for IEQc3.3 Green Cleaning – Purchase of Sustainable Cleaning Products and Materials. The liners may be considered a sustainable purchase under the disposable janitor paper products and trash bags product category provided they meet the Federal Trade Comission's Green Guides definition for compostable. The definition is "A marketer claiming that an item is compostable should have competent and reliable scientific evidence that all the materials in the item will break down into, or otherwise become part of, usable compost (e.g., soil-conditioning material, mulch) in a safe and timely manner (i.e., in approximately the same time as the materials with which it is composted) in an appropriate composting facility, or in a home compost pile or device."
Evidence that the liners are used for the collection of compostable waste and are composted should be provided, such as a letter from the property manager confirming the composting program for the building or supporting documentation from MRc6 or MRc7 showing that the waste is composted.