Rating System

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

Rating System Version

v3 - LEED 2009

Inquiry

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.\n\n 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.\n\n We propose two possible methods for alternative compliance on this credit:\n\n 1. Exclude these liners from tracking altogether because they are not truly petroleum-based "plastic trash can liners,"\n\n OR\n\n 2. Include them for credit as an environmentally superior product vs. a liner that is petroleum-based (ie: Rapidly Renewable)