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WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE

BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

Usually, the national plastic (transformers) associations have a list with the plastic recyclers and the
type of plastics accepted.
During the last years, the number of virtual market places is growing.
The following internet sites offer different examples:
http://www.wastechange.com/
http://www.recycle.de/
http://www.eupc.org
http://www.ccip.fr/bourse-des-dechets/
http://www.wastexchange.co.uk/welcome.htm
http://www.wrap.org.uk/
http://www.reststoffenbeurs.nl
http://www.waste2b.com/france/loc/html/home/
http://cig.bre.co.uk/connet/mie/
Development of Green Procurement Policies
Public procurement in the EU represents around 14 per cent of GDP, that is equivalent to around
1,000 billion per annum. The attitudes of public entities, such as L/RAs can therefore have a
considerable impact on the development of the secondary product markets, especially in the case
of plastics where these markets are still emerging. L/RAs have a responsibility and vested interest to
integrate green recycled products into their annual purchasing budget. By adopting such policies
L/RAs are able to project their environmental consciousness and demonstrate to local industry and
commerce on how recycled products can be economically viable and integrated into local purchasing
decisions. From this experience, L/RAs will have practical knowledge on the products and suppliers
available at a local and national level and can disseminate this information to businesses.
By supporting these markets, L/RAs are effectively ensuring a continuing market is available for the
recyclate, of which they are and will continue to be a major provider.
There are no European legislative barriers to the purchasing decisions of public institutions, providing
that the freedoms of the European Union and competition are respected.
ICLEI52 reviewed nine countries of the EU in order to compare their attitude in relation to green
procurement policies. None of the countries studied prohibited green procurement, however in only
three countries (Denmark, Germany and Austria) is green purchasing legally required, whilst in only
two countries (Denmark and Sweden) do environmental criteria have the same weight as other
criteria in tender evaluations processes.
In five of the studied countries, the municipalities have the autonomy to decide which are the
prevailing criteria for tender evaluation and have then the possibility to include green criteria.

52- " Green Purchasing Good Practice Guide " G. Plas et C. Erdmenger ICLEI - 2000

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WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE


BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

Denmark

Germany

Economic
efficiency
of the product

Functional need
of the product

Environmental.
criteria have same
weight as other

Prevailing criteria for


tender evaluation

Autonomy of
municipality
in choice

Part of the
technical
specifications

A selection
criteria

Allowed

Advised

Legally required

Aspects of national legislation


Greener
The environmental
purchasing is
criteria are

The
Netherlands

France

United
Kingdom

Sweden
Austria

Finland

Italy

Source: ICLEI 2000

Why should L/RAs buy green?


L/RAs, which have developed green purchasing policies, have put forward the following arguments
as to why these policies are a necessary element of purchasing policy:
It aids and support the development of local sustainable development policies
it reduces the environmental impacts of waste disposal, through landfill or incineration
they promote the development of products and markets with reduced environmental
impacts
it promotes the environmental responsibility of L/RAs and provides a model of environmental responsibility for public and private sectors.

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