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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Environment protection
  4. Waste and recycling
  5. Sustainable Procurement

Sidebar first - EN - Protection

  • Waste and recycling
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Sustainable Procurement

Australia has the opportunity to make best use of our waste resources by recycling them to create new products. Recycling creates jobs, keeps waste out of landfill, reduces our use of raw resources and helps protect the environment for future generations. We can help close the loop on recycling through buying products which include recycled content. The Australian Government has committed to significantly increasing use of recycled content. Read more in target 4 of the National Waste Policy Action Plan.

Help drive Australia’s transition to a more circular economy. Buy recycled.

Australian Government requirements

If you procure for the Australian Government, you must comply with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

When assessing value for money (Rule 4.5), you must consider environmental sustainability where relevant. This includes the use of recycled content.

The Sustainable Procurement Guide provides practical steps on how to apply environmental sustainability to your procurements.

  • Download the Sustainable Procurement Guide, which includes model clauses
  • Use our toolkit to follow the sustainable procurement steps and access helpful resources.

See examples of products with recycled content you could procure:

  • Recycled Content Products List

Understanding circular economy & sustainable procurement

What is the circular economy?

Dr Scott Valentine, KPMG defines the circular economy and explains its benefits. Video length: 1 minute.

So to define the circular economy, what’s really happening here is we’ve got a macro economic strategy. It’s designed specifically to optimise waste or to optimise the use of resources throughout the entire economic system. And if you do that, you infuse higher levels of productivity into the economy, you make businesses more productive, therefore more competitive, and you strengthen local businesses, enabling them to compete successfully in international markets. That is the allure of the circular economy.

How does procurement link to circular economies?

Jean-Louis Haie, KPMG explains how government can use its purchasing power to use recycled content and support a circular economy. Video length: 1 minute

... the offer cannot thrive. So you think about the clear objective to use more recycled content. We need government through its procurement processes and through all your RFTs and contracts to promote circular economy models, including the use of recyclable content.

Government is acting on sustainable procurement

Catherine Caldwell, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water summarises government commitments to sustainable procurement and use of recycled content. Video length: 1 minute

And with the release of the National Waste Policy in 2018 and then the action plan to support that policy in 2019, all governments have now committed to use sustainable procurement to help build markets for recycled content.

Watch the complete masterclass on circular economy and sustainable procurement.

Contact us

The Commonwealth Sustainable Procurement Advocacy and Resource Centre (C-SPARC) can help Australian Government agencies at any stage with ideas and strategies.

Contact us to find potential products and tools, or to work with you side-by-side on individual procurements.

Email: sustainable.procurement@dcceew.gov.au

Find a supplier

  • Good Environmental Choice Australia Product Database
  • Buy Recycled Directory (Sustainability Victoria)
  • Sustainable Choice Supplier Database (NSW councils)
  • Planet Ark Recycled Products Directory

Helpful websites

Department of Finance

  • Commonwealth Procurement Rules
  • Policy Framework - Incorporating Sustainability

International

  • Netherlands Sustainable Public Procurement
  • Green Deals in the Netherlands (use translate in your browser to translate this information)
  • Denmark guide to responsible purchasing (ideas for criteria)
  • Finland’s road map to a circular economy

Circular Economy

  • Australian Circular Economy Hub
  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation
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Last updated: 12 December 2022

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.