EU GPP Helpdesk Webinar: 'Tackling plastic pollution through public procurement'

Every year, the world produces close to 400 million tonnes of plastic. While some of it is burned (around 12%) and a fraction recycled (about 9%), the vast majority ends up in landfills or escapes into the environment, too often making its way into our oceans. These numbers underline the pressing need for systemic change.

Public procurement offers a significant lever for transformation. By integrating sustainability requirements into purchasing decisions, public authorities can help move markets away from the linear “take, make, dispose” model and towards circular practices. Criteria that favor recycled inputs, encourage reuse, or phase out single-use plastics can make a real difference in curbing pollution.

This upcoming webinar will showcase practical examples of how public buyers can reduce plastic waste and support circularity through procurement strategies.

Agenda:

• Welcome & Introduction – Ivan Azevedo, Policy Officer, DG Environment, European Commission
• Key findings from the Sustainable Public Procurement of Plastics report – Mervyn Jones, Senior Adviser, Circular Economy, Rijkswaterstaat
• France’s Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law: integrating reused and recycled materials in contracts – Marline Weber, Sustainable Procurement Project Manager, Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion of France
• Practical procurement criteria to enable plastic circulation – Tuuri Tiia, City of Espoo, Finland

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.