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91_HB1556 LRB9103924DHmg 1 AN ACT concerning unbleached and non-chlorine bleached 2 paper. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Illinois Procurement Code is amended by 6 adding Section 45-22 as follows: 7 (30 ILCS 500/45-22 new) 8 Sec. 45-22. Unbleached and non-chlorine bleached paper. 9 (a) The General Assembly finds that: 10 (1) The use of chlorine based chemicals in the 11 paper manufacturing process results in the formation of 12 many persistent, toxic organochlorine pollutants. 13 (2) Those pollutants are a threat to human health 14 and a sound environment in this State and elsewhere. 15 (3) Residual organochlorines are present in paper 16 products that have been produced with the use of chlorine 17 based chemicals, posing a health threat to users of those 18 products. 19 (4) Residual organochlorines pose a threat to human 20 health and the environment when waste paper that has been 21 produced with chlorine based chemicals is disposed of in 22 landfills or incinerators. 23 (5) The use of chlorine based chemicals does not 24 produce paper products of a higher quality. 25 (6) Methods are available to produce paper 26 products, both virgin and recycled, that are either 27 unbleached or bleached with non-chlorine based chemicals. 28 (7) Procurement by this State of items that are 29 produced without the use of chlorine based chemicals will 30 promote the development of markets for those items and 31 contribute to the success of environmentally sound -2- LRB9103924DHmg 1 alternatives to chlorine based paper production. 2 (b) As used in this Section: 3 (1) "Non-chlorine bleached paper" means virgin or 4 recycled paper that has been bleached without the use of 5 chlorinated chemicals. Chlorinated chemicals include but 6 are not limited to elemental chlorine, chlorine dioxide, 7 and sodium hypochloride. 8 (2) "Paper products" means printing paper, 9 stationery, and envelopes. 10 (3) "Procurement process" means the process by 11 which paper products are purchased from competing vendors 12 under this Act. 13 (4) "Unbleached paper" means virgin or recycled 14 paper that has not been lightened by any chemical means. 15 (c) The Department shall establish by rule appropriate 16 procedures, standards, and strategies to implement the 17 maximum procurement of unbleached and non-chlorine bleached 18 paper products. 19 (d) The Department shall review and modify all 20 procurement process specifications to ensure that the 21 specifications encourage and do not discriminate against the 22 maximum purchase of unbleached and non-chlorine bleached 23 paper products. 24 (e) In purchasing paper products, the Department shall, 25 whenever the price is reasonably competitive and the quality 26 is adequate for the purpose intended, purchase unbleached or 27 non-chlorine bleached paper products. For purposes of this 28 subsection, "reasonably competitive" means a comparable 29 unbleached or non-chlorine bleached product with a cost 30 premium of no greater than 15 percent. 31 (f) In contracting for the purchase of paper products 32 for use by the Department or a State agency, when the lowest 33 responsible bidder is not supplying unbleached or 34 non-chlorine bleached paper products, and another bidder who -3- LRB9103924DHmg 1 will supply such products has submitted a bid within 15 2 percent of the lowest responsible bid for a contract to 3 supply paper products that are adequate for the purpose 4 intended, the contract shall be awarded to the bidder 5 supplying unbleached or non-chlorine bleached paper products. 6 (g) The Department shall prepare a list of known vendors 7 who can supply unbleached or non-chlorine bleached paper 8 products and shall solicit bids for paper products as needed 9 from vendors on the list. 10 (h) The Department shall prepare and submit to the 11 Governor and the General Assembly a written report on or 12 before each fifth consecutive March 1, beginning March 1, 13 2000, on its efforts to increase the Department's purchase 14 of unbleached or non-chlorine bleached paper products. 15 (i) In addition, if a contractor is required to furnish 16 paper under a printing contract, the contractor must furnish 17 unbleached or non-chlorine bleached paper, except in the 18 event of an emergency purchase. Contract requirements shall 19 call for the use of unbleached or non-chlorine bleached 20 paper.