This guidance is intended to help those responsible for the commissioning, specifying and procurement of products, equipment and services, embed the benefits of a relevant and proportionate focus on repair, re-use and remanufacturing.

In 2012 the Council wished to put in place a new contract to deal with redundant computer equipment. The principal GPP objective was to ensure that redundant computer equipment was re-used or recycled to the greatest extent possible, not only meeting the Council’s obligations under the EU’s WEEE regulations, but also minimising environmental impact by diverting waste from landfill. In addition, it was hoped that further social value would be delivered by making refurbished computer equipment available for community projects.

The Venlo Region, located in the southeast of the Netherlands, has expressed its ambition to become pioneers in the transition to a circular economy by developing several initiatives supporting the implementation of circular economy principles in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Ghent has spent the last 10 years progressively greening its municipal cleaning services to achieve the use of 100% environmentally sound products. Ghent purchases products meeting the European Ecolabel criteria, as a minimum, and was the first city to use Cradle-to-Cradle Certified products through their contracted cleaning services for all of its buildings and facilities. There are 340 locations in the city (ranging from office buildings, schools, nurseries, museums, etc.) which benefit from the City’s cleaning services and/or products (such as those used for providing public catering services), which involve 350 external collaborators. The City’s annual spend on cleaning products and services is 14.4 million euro.

In 2013, the Danish government launched a new joint strategy for smart public procurement, which focused on improving public procurement through efficiency, innovation, quality and sustainability. The sustainability aspects were approached by incorporating environmental and energy requirements in order to develop green solutions. The strategy, established by means of a circular and guidelines on public procurement of sustainable timber issued by the Environment Ministry, included purchasing verifiably sustainable timber for wood-based products, as well as for public construction works and state buildings. The guidelines apply to all ministries and state institutions.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence is a high user of textile products in its extensive military equipment. In this project, the Ministry sought to address the problem throughout the chain. Surplus/used clothing is no longer burned but is recycled and restored to reusable fibres. The Ministry of Defence then offers this product to the market as high-quality raw material. And new suppliers to the Ministry must use recycled fibres in new textiles. The first phase of this project started with three lots: towels and wash cloths; scarves and handkerchiefs; and overalls.

For the refurbishment works of the new City hall, the municipality decided to implement a circular procurement concept for their new furniture, seeking products that would deliver a healthy working environment while being truly 100% recyclable. Products included among others conference tables and chairs, cabinets, office chairs, canteen furniture, cupboards, etc.

For the first time in the state of Berlin, a tender from the public sector for the construction of a Trench wall and a structure using resource-saving concrete, concrete with recycled aggregates (short RC-concrete).

In 2014, as part of the Rethink Business project (financed by the Region of
Midtylland and the European Regional Development Fund), Herning decided to begin trialling circular economy ideas in some of its operations, such as in their purchasing contracts for workwear.