Biden Unveils ‘Buy Clean’ Program To Support Decarbonizing Economy

The White House has formally launched “Buy Clean,” a new task force that will promote sustainability by prioritizing the purchase of clean construction materials.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order last December, promising to cut emissions by 65% by 2030 to accomplish net zero emissions by 2050.

“Buy Clean Task Force” is a big part of that, as it will “create markets for low carbon materials.” “Buy Clean” will outline ways to identify clean materials. For example, top-quality steel can be created with clean pellets, and the U.S. steel industry already ranks as the cleanest in the world. “Buy Clean” will encourage manufacturers to continue adding and carrying out clean production practices.

According to a 2019 study by the International Energy Agency, the production of cement was responsible for 7% of global carbon emissions. The initiative will be especially important as the U.S. Transportation Department‘s $1.5 billion grant program for infrastructure projects opens up. Grant applications open in April, and results will be announced by August.

Biden’s Build Back Better is still stalled in the Senate. The version of the bill that was passed by the House included a multi-billion dollar budget for companies to evaluate their production process and carbon emissions and be able to decarbonize their facilities. The budget would also allow funds for federal agencies to prioritize the use of low-carbon materials. The “Buy Clean” task force would be the most impactful if Build Back Better passes in some form to provide the budget to carry out cleaner production and construction.