Circularity
The Commission contributes to the circular economy by implementing green public procurement (GPP) principles in its goods, services and work contracts and its everyday operations.
Greening contracts
The Commission recorded the number of contracts including some additional specific environmental criteria (first figure below), and in 2018, started to use the European Court of Auditors’ recommended grading scale to show the degree to which tenders incorporate sustainability, as follows:
- Not green: Tender documents without environmental considerations or having clauses without impact on purchasing approach
- For light green to very green the main difference is the
weighting of the environmental criteria as a share of the total (for price and quality), as follows:
- Light green: <10%;
- Green 10% to 25%, and
- Very green >25%
- Green by nature: Where the primary purpose is “green”, for example construction of a green roof, or consultancy services to improve environmental performance
Under this approach, data used for the second figure below, indicate that 68% of contracts were ‘not green’ in 2018, but this reduced to 53% 2023.
Contracts with additional 'eco' criteria by site (% of total)
'Greenness' of procedures, European Court of Auditors (ECA) approach*
The table below provides an overview of the presence of 'green' products in the office supply catalogue, and there value, indicating that they have accounted for over half the expenditure since 2020. Staff can also access the GPP helpdesk. Site level data is provided in Annex GPP-costs.
Evolution of 'green' products in office supply catalogue
The OIB launched, in cooperation with OXFAM, a new furniture collection made exclusively by upcycling old furniture (see Case Study). The workshop hires mostly socially disadvantaged workers, thus also contributing to their participation in the community.
In 2023, additional projects were launched such as sorting stations made in collaboration with a sheltered workshop.
In 2023, 5 out of 12 new contracts encountered challenges in incorporating EMAS related clauses. This may be in the case of monopoly or in contracts with the City of Luxembourg, which insists on their own terms, particularly in areas such as water and heating.
There is a systematic consultation of the GPP helpesk and inclusion of GPP criteria in most contracts even though for some clauses it is not always feasible to confirm their implementation, i.e. the use of electric vehicles by contractors.
Although JRC’s core business (e.g. contracts for research studies, freelance services) is different than the GPP priority products - making it challenging to reduce the percentage of non-green contracts - the JRC is a pioneer in putting in place a system to flag procedures that have an environmental dimension through the Public Procurement Management Tool (PPMT). In addition, and coherent with the Green Deal, green aspects are proposed in some contracts even when no specific GPP guidance is published.
JRC Ispra started to green its contracts and check the application of EU GPP criteria in 2014. In order to extend the field of application, additional requirements applying circular economy principles (circular procurement) were included to contracts that could potentially be “greened” further. In this way a category called “special mention” contracts was introduced in 2019.
Special mention contracts have extended the possibility of greening more contracts and results are constantly positive since the beginning. The objective in future years is to further broaden the field of application of special mention contracts, which better reflect the procurement effort to greening the contracts of JRC Ispra.
The results of GPP and circular procurement principles vary each year according to the specific procurement carried out (the majority of contracts cover a four years’ time span).
In 2023, GPP criteria were applied to the 100% of contracts where GPP criteria are available and 14 additional contracts were classified as “special mention” (70% of the potential “special mention” contracts). The positive results reached in the last years of application of circular procurement was summarised in a specific report.
To raise staff awareness, the Ispra site GPP Correspondent delivered specific trainings on GPP and related implementation aspects. These trainings are followed by all staff dealing with procurement procedures and reached 28 members of staff in 2023.
The above-mentioned framework is complemented by the use of the inter-institutional framework contract of the European Parliament: 'GPP helpdesk for Buying Green'.
To promote sustainable practices in catering services at JRC Seville, special attention has been given to greening the low-value contracts and orders, such as catering services associated to scientific (and other) events. The success of this practice stems from swift communication channels between the environmental officer and the operational units. This practice also contributes to raising awareness among caterers as they must supply a declaration of the green aspects of their services with their financial offer.
In 2023 all tenders for the Grange site incorporated GPP. The tender for the provision of Facilities Management services included a clause in which the legal compliance aspects of EMAS will be entirely managed by the contractor, representing a significant innovation for the site.
Evolution of IT inventory and recycling
The evolution of main categories of new IT equipment at Commission level are shown below. The data shows a reduction in all categories other than those that permit mobile working (laptops, docking stations, flat screens and routers). The reduction in notably larger IT equipment numbers has helped to reduce the embodied emissions part of the Commission's carbon footprint that is associated with IT.
Evolution of the new IT inventory from 2018 to 2023 at Commission sites*
Recycling of IT inventory
Three framework agreements with OXFAM, Close the Gap and South Cluster have been in force since December 2023 for a maximum period of 6 years. They are inter-institutional agreements with all other major EU institutions – notably the Parliament, the Council, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors. Until 2021 DG DIGIT managed other contracts for the collection and recycling of IT equipment from Brussels and Luxembourg.
New (temporary) arrangements were introduced in 2022 and until December 2023. Historically as indicated in the figure below, a high percentage of the equipment was sold for second hand use.
Number of IT and telephony items collected and recycled in Brussels and Luxembourg
Improving waste management
One of the Commission's main objectives is to generate less waste, and improve recycling.
Non-hazardous waste generation increased slightly in 2023 mainly due to a higher office presence after the Covid pandemic, as shown below. The 2019-30 waste reduction target has already been met.
Non-hazardous waste, tonnes
The evolution in hazardous waste generation and waste sorting is presented in the figures below. While hazardous waste generation shows a downward trend, per capita residual waste generation exhibits a small rebound but the overall longer-term trends are encouraging.
Evolution of hazardous waste generation (tonnes)
Evolution of residual waste (tonnes/person)
The contract for refurbishment works signed in 2019 applies the principles of circularity, paying special attention to:
- reusing and repairing construction products;
- improving the construction waste sorting and recycling;
- using low environmental impact materials, such as products containing recycled materials (i.e. wall tiles, suspended ceiling plates, carpet tiles) and products with environmental certifications (i.e. cradle-to-cradle certified wall partitions, water based eco-labelled painting, FSC certified wood).
The environmental management implemented in the framework contract, in cooperation with the contractor, allows continuous improvement of data quality and more thorough target setting, monitoring of KPI evolution and the implementation of new actions aimed at lowering the activity's environmental impact.
In 2023, following the obligation to collect organic waste in the Brussels Capital Region, the Commission started a pilot project for the collection of organics in the kitchenettes of buildings L107, CHAR, ORBN, B-28. The increase in waste volume in 2023 is due to the return to the office following the COVID pandemic, the opening of new canteens and construction waste due to works in buildings.
In 2023 waste generation increased by 38% compared to 2022. Leaving 'Mercier', a building occupied by OP since 1998, is the main reason for this. Paper waste alone accounted for 205t, of which 126t was from the Mercier building. Some renovation works in the new 'Mercier-Post' building inevitably also contributed to this rise. An increase in waste generation is expected when moving out of Laccolith in 2024 and the final move to occupy JMO2 in 2026, although much of the waste will be recycled.
In 2023, residual waste accounted for 22% of total waste, a 19% reduction compared to the 2022 value of 27%. Data tables were updated to include Paper and IT waste for 2022 and 2023 from DG ENER specific contracts.
Empty fire extinguishers, decommissioned by a specialist contractor, were added as hazardous waste for 2022.
The Commission is making continuous efforts to improve waste management including by undertaking 'waste visits' to all buildings and through ad hoc interventions when waste issues are detected through information from various stakeholders (staff, cleaning personnel etc).
In JRC Geel, the Flemish regulations regarding waste sorting streams have become stricter and "punishing" criteria were introduced for sorting incorrectly. JRC Geel pays particular attention to reducing its waste and on increasing awareness on the importance of sorting correctly to optimised recycling. The site undertakes regular communications to staff, the critical actors in waste production. JRC Geel recorded a significant increase in waste generation in 2023 and this was linked in particular to building waste from several refurbishments. The per capita residual waste (non-recyclable waste) has nevertheless decreased by 10 % illustrating the efficiency of waste segregation at site level.
In JRC Ispra in 2023, there was a 32% increase in non-hazardous waste production compared to 2022. The production of almost all categories increased due to the refurbishment or demolition of buildings and warehouse stocks clearing (+62% paper, +53% mixed waste), ventilation filters replacement and wastewater treatment plant (+32% “other waste”). A reduction was achieved for plastic (-10%) glass (-3%) and street cleaning (-8%).
In 2023, an improvement action for laboratory waste management was started, which led to an overall reduction of reagents (-10%, EER 16.05.06*) and better sorting for some waste categories which can now be delivered as “non-hazardous waste” if not contaminated, such as laboratory glassware (-24%, EER 15.01.10*) and filter materials and personal protective equipment (-24% EER 15.02.02* or +55% EER 15.02.03).
Hazardous waste production increased by 28% in 2023 compared to 2022. The increase is due to an extraordinary disposal of waste from buildings, streets maintenance and electrical equipment (52% of all hazardous waste). All other categories were reduced or remained unchanged since 2022, in particular batteries (-81%), filters (-78%), paints and spray cans (-48% each).
In JRC Karlsruhe, for the category "unsorted waste" (or residual waste), the German ordinance on industrial waste (Gewerbeabfallverordnung) defines different criteria for waste separation than those applied under EMAS. This consequently leads to different values so the values presented here are for informational purposes only and are intended for comparison with other sites.
For JRC Petten, the waste data is provisional as some invoices are pending for collected waste. Hazardous and non-hazardous waste are based on “Weegbonnen” which are estimations and not invoices.
- Non-hazardous waste: For carton/paper and regular waste, there are some weight receipts which are outstanding. This results in lower values. For other waste streams (such as wood, metal, hard plastic) there were several collections throughout the year, but no specifics on exact weights, as these are confirmed in the invoices, some of which are still pending.
- Hazardous waste: There were 3 different collections for hazardous waste in 2023, for which the transport notes are available, but these do not record the exact weight collected. The data provided on hazardous waste are based on “Chemical Waste Registration Forms”, which are created for each hazardous waste. Here, again the invoices for the collections are pending.
JRC Petten has made considerable efforts to encourage more timely and complete delivery of waste collection documentation.
In JRC Seville, global per capita waste production has decreased by 45% between 2019 and 2023. However, it is important to note that this indicator is significantly influenced by the large-scale removal of items such as archival documents, furniture or IT equipment among others, which may vary from year to year.
Waste generation is an environmental aspect with significant impact. The decrease in 2023 compared to 2022 was 4,4%. The main component was municipal waste (6.1 tonnes) produced as a consequence of more staff increasing their site presence compared to the previous year.
Emissions from waste management
The CO2e emissions associated with waste disposal are calculated on the basis of the following main categories of waste management processes and waste types:
- Incinerated waste - 1. residual waste, 2.food
- Methanisation - food
- Composting - food
- Recycled/reused - 1. paper, 2. cardboard Recycled/reused - wood, 3. glass, 4. plastic PMC, 5. others
- Hazardous waste - all types
- Landfill - residual waste
The evolution of total waste emissions is shown in the figure below. Emissions from waste management and shows an improvement in waste management despite the increase of total quantities.