Nantes: Responsible Purchasing Promotion Scheme

In 2017, Nantes adopted the Responsible Purchasing Promotion Scheme containing 11 areas of action, including one on circular economy. It shows a breakdown of the policy areas that the circular economy contributes to and includes achievements to date. It also provides the strategic direction and operational targets for incorporating circular economy into procurement, setting performance targets to be achieved by 2020. Nantes aims to contribute to environmental targets at the national and local government level, for example, by meeting operational targets supporting demonstration projects, optimising collection of small equipment and bio waste, and incorporating life-cycle assessments into procurement.

Some of the first responsible procurement actions implemented in relation to the environmental aspects of the policy include the following:

• Organic food in school restaurants: By 2016, 12% of school food was organic and sourced from short supply chains

• Wood certified meeting Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards: By 2016, 100% of significant wood purchases, for internal use, were FSC certified

• Eco-friendly cleaning products

• Recycled or FSC certified paper

• Progressive elimination of plant protection products in favour of natural practices

The city has also conducted different experiments to develop a methodology for practices, aiming to ensure the purchase of circular solutions. For instance, they have tested the use of recycled railway ballast in road works, more precisely for under-road layer. These materials have been screened, selected and verified for pollution risks. The first assessment is that this experiment has been done without any financial impact.