Ginny Cleaveland, Deputy Press Secretary, Federal Communications, ginny.cleaveland@sierraclub.org, 415-508-8498 (Pacific Time)
WASHINGTON, DC — The General Services Administration (GSA) today announced it has concluded its six-month pilot project focused on increasing the demand for low-emissions construction materials made from asphalt, concrete, glass, and steel, which are traditionally very carbon-intensive to produce. The pilot project is part of the Biden Administration’s Buy Clean Initiative.
The GSA plans to invest $2 billion in more than 150 federal building projects nationwide. The pilot project allowed the agency to gain insight on the market for low-emissions construction materials, including understanding which materials have or need Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) — a label that displays the emissions intensity of a product and a requirement for the government to move forward with any purchases of materials — and assessing information on market availability and cost. According to the GSA, since the pilot began, more than 5,000 additional EPDs were published for asphalt, concrete, glass, and steel.
Related to steel manufacturing, the GSA found that EPDs for steel made in electric arc furnaces are widely available, however, EPDs for steel made in integrated mills remains limited. Cleaning up the production of primary steel made mostly from iron ore — a process currently dominated by integrated mills — is a priority of the Sierra Club’s Industrial Decarbonization campaign, as this type of steel is typically required by auto manufacturers and other manufacturers that make up critical sectors of the U.S. economy.
In response to the announcement, Yong Kwon, Senior Policy Advisor for Industrial Policy and Trade at the Sierra Club, issued the following statement:
“While there are no silver bullets for reducing climate pollution from major industrial sources, Buy Clean is an important effort that encourages industries to make the right investments in cleaning up their manufacturing processes and cultivating the growth of their U.S. workforce. It is a targeted policy aimed at reducing emissions from the most carbon-intensive sources that the market has not and cannot address on its own.
As this pilot project concludes, we encourage the federal government to ensure that Buy Clean’s resources are used to incentivize manufacturers of essential products that are currently heavily polluting but nonetheless have the ability to clean up over time with public support. Sierra Club looks forward to continued implementation of Buy Clean, and urges Congress to ensure that this effort, alongside other complementary IRA programs, continues to support our shared vision of a just, green economic future.”
BACKGROUND
A recent report, database, and interactive map commissioned by the Sierra Club reveals for the first time the greenhouse gas emissions intensity at every domestic facility in the US for four heavy industries: steel, cement, aluminum, and metallurgical coke, underscoring the importance of federal investments in these critical sectors to the US economy that will both grow employment and reduce pollution. Learn more at sierraclub.org/trade/climate-jobs-american-industries.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.