Tackling plastic pollution through public procurement

Approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year. Around 12% of these plastics are incinerated, and only 9% are recycled. The remainder is either disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, including the oceans. These figures highlight the urgent need to act on multiple fronts.

One powerful lever available to public authorities is public procurement. By rethinking how products and services are purchased, governments and institutions can shift markets away from linear “take-make-dispose” patterns and towards circular solutions. Procurement requirements that specify recycled materials, encourage reuse or repurposing of plastic-containing products, and prevent the use of single-use plastics, are strategic tools that can help curb the plastic crisis.

This webinar will present concrete examples of how contracting authorities can limit plastic waste and pollution through procurement decisions.

Language: English

Sign up today: https://iclei.webex.com/weblink/register/r8abb86e93186f654355140dc4b225200

Framework: The GPP Helpdesk Webinars provide a forum to inform stakeholders working in the field of public sector procurement about important new developments in the resources available and legislative context for Sustainable Public Procurement, and offer an opportunity for questions and discussion. For more information, visit the European Commission’s GPP website.