Increased Use of Recycled Plastic in Public Procurements

The collaborative project, “Increased Use of Recycled Plastic in Public Procurements,” has played a role in eight public procurements where requirements and criteria for the use of recycled raw materials have been established. An estimate for seven of these procurements indicates that this could contribute to the use of approximately 1170 tons of recycled plastic.

Public procurement has the potential to enhance the market for recycled plastic products. With relatively straightforward measures, overarching requirements can be set for products involved in larger and more complex procurements. For simpler and less complex procurements, requirements and criteria can be more specific and targeted toward individual products. These measures will yield results, fostering increased circularity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Market Dialogue – An Essential Tool

The use of tools such as market dialogue proves beneficial in exploring whether suppliers can offer products made from recycled plastic, the conditions under which they can do so, and whether there are certification schemes or other means to verify the recycled plastic content in the products.

As many markets are still in their infancy, establishing effective dialogue and communication between purchasers and suppliers of products made from recycled plastic is crucial for achieving successful outcomes. Together, the parties can arrive at favourable solutions, addressing both product selection and the formulation of competitive processes.

Market dialogues have been conducted in several of the procurements in which the project has participated, including the procurement of waste bags for the collection of source-separated plastic packaging.

If half of Norway's population were provided with plastic bags made entirely from recycled plastic, this initiative alone could contribute to the utilization of 2,500 tons of recycled plastic annually or 10,000 tons over a contract period of 4 years

Case Collection

To address the need for more knowledge on how requirements and criteria can be established in procurement, the project has developed a case collection summarizing the acquisitions made within the project and their outcomes. Additionally, the project has created a product presentation showcasing plastic products containing recycled plastic and identifying suppliers capable of delivering these products.