MassDEP says municipalities must adopt broader green purchasing policies to qualify for 2026 SMRP grants

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection told municipal officials in a webinar that towns and cities must adopt an expanded environmentally preferable purchasing policy by June 30, 2026 to be eligible for next year’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grant.

Becky, a planner with MassDEP’s municipal waste reduction branch, said the updated policy requirement will replace or broaden existing “buy recycled” rules and that MassDEP has posted a template municipalities may cut and paste into local policy documents.

The policy requirement matters because the Operational Services Division, which manages statewide contracts, already includes environmental specifications for many products and services that municipalities buy, Agnes Rysbicki, coordinator for OSD’s climate and sustainability unit, told webinar participants. “When governments choose sustainable options, they send very strong signals that influence the supplier community,” Rysbicki said.

MassDEP and OSD officials walked attendees through what the agencies will expect from municipal policies and the resources available to comply. MassDEP staff said the minimally required language for the SMRP grant will include: a commitment to purchase products listed in OSD’s EPP (environmentally preferable products) index or via statewide contracts that include environmental specifications; a commitment to buy products with post-consumer recycled content where practicable; and consideration of reuse or donation opportunities before disposal.

The agencies also pointed to specific, practical resources. OSD maintains statewide contracts that cover dozens of product categories and includes environmental criteria in many contracts; officials said statewide purchases exceeded roughly $2.4 billion last fiscal year and that EPP purchases from those contracts totaled over $409 million as of February 2024, accounting for about 20% of purchases under statewide contracts. OSD also uses a vendor sustainability assessment (the climate and environmental practices form) in bid packages and has guidance such as a PFAS-free buying guide and COMMBUYS contract user guides to help purchasers verify ecolabels and contract terms.

MassDEP and OSD staff highlighted “low-hanging” categories that many municipalities can switch to greener options quickly, including office paper and supplies, lighting, cleaning and janitorial products and services, IT and electronics, foodware, and certain landscape and fleet items (for example, battery-powered landscaping equipment). Officials also noted reusable cafeteria trays and stainless-steel trays are now available on state contract.

Becky and other MassDEP staff said the agencies will not seek to enforce municipal compliance by policing department-level purchases. When attendees asked whether MassDEP would require municipal procurement staff to monitor every department, Becky said the requirement is a grant condition rather than a directive and that MassDEP does not plan to enforce internal municipal compliance. “We don’t have enforcement power,” Becky said, adding that the intent is to have the policy adopted by municipal leadership so departments are more likely to implement it.

OSD offered direct assistance: its Local Government Enablement team can help municipalities navigate COMMBUYS and statewide contract user guides, and municipal assistance coordinators (MACs) tied to the SMRP grant can advise towns on RDP (Recycling Dividends Program) spending categories that align with EPP contracts. MassDEP staff encouraged grant recipients with existing buy-recycled policies to contact the agency if they need help assessing whether their policy meets the new language.

Speakers also announced a new peer group for municipal buyers called CLIMB (Climate Leaders in Municipal Purchasing). Agnes Rysbicki said the unit will launch CLIMB to help municipalities align purchasing with sustainability goals, shape future statewide contracts, and share practical examples such as cost comparisons and product case studies; an initial meeting was tentatively scheduled for mid-September.

Questions from participants focused on enforcement, how to track purchases across decentralized municipal procurement, technical assistance for COMMBUYS, and cost comparisons for green alternatives. OSD staff noted tools and trainings are available on COMMBUYS and on OSD’s website (including a “Leading by Example” cost-comparison tool for some product types). MassDEP said the webinar recording and links (policy template, guidance, and sample policies) will be posted and emailed to attendees.

What was agreed and what remains directive: MassDEP will require the updated municipal EPP policy as a condition of SMRP grant eligibility, with policies due by June 30, 2026. Municipalities are encouraged to use OSD statewide contracts and the EPP product and services guide; MassDEP and OSD are offering support but did not announce any state enforcement mechanism to verify implementation at the department level.

The agencies urged municipalities to use available RDP funds where appropriate, noting many RDP-eligible purchases are already on state contracts. Municipal officials were invited to contact their MAC, OSD’s local government enablement team, or the MassDEP municipal waste reduction staff for help adapting the template and implementing the policy.

MassDEP officials stressed the broader goal: increasing reuse, reducing waste generation, supporting recycling markets, and reducing toxicity in purchased products. As Agnes Rysbicki summarized near the end of the webinar, “Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”

The webinar recording, policy template, links to OSD contract user guides, the PFAS buying guide, and other resources will be posted on MassDEP’s SMRP web page for municipalities to consult.