How public procurement is boosting a zero-waste approach in Schaerbeek…

Following the sixth state reform (2014), Belgian Municipalities saw their remit expand: they truly became institutions with transversal competencies while being the level of power that is the closest to citizens. It is also important to note that – according to a report presented at the Mayors’ conference in 2014 - the Municipalities are the biggest public investors in Belgium, investing even more than the Federal Government and the Regions.

In the context of public procurement, the municipality must above all comply with the legislation, and guarantee a competitive and transparent process. The goal is to make decisions based on the cost and quality of products/services. At the same time, Schaerbeek is aware of the impact of public spending on local life and wants to respond effectively and coherently to economic, social and environmental challenges.

This is particularly important for Schaerbeek. Public contracts are seen as leverage for a sustainable, environmentally friendly, socially responsible economy. Therefore, the main motivation behind joining the « Making Spend Matter » network was the possibility to foster the Municipality’s work on reconciling efficiency in public expenditure with high social and environmental standards.

Acting as a "responsible consumer" – for example by including environmental and / or social criteria in bids – the municipality has made a conscious decision to buy, whenever possible, products and services that have a positive impact on the environment as well as on the local economy.

On this matter, the Municipality works for and with its citizens.

Working for its citizens, in September 2019, the City Council adopted a motion on “zero-waste and zero-plastic in the politics of Schaerbeek”. This stems from the awareness that, as a public actor, the Municipality has the responsibility to actively engage in the fight against the proliferation of waste and the use of single-use plastic and in this respect it must set an example.

In particular, this motion encourages the inclusion in the specifications for public procurement of clauses such as "limitation of packaging", "use of recycled materials", "cradle to cradle", or "eco-design", as well as clauses stipulating the obligation for any tenderer to favor an eco-responsible solution, in terms of production method and lifetime.

Working with its citizens, the Municipality is planning to distribute – starting from 2020 – a “zero-waste starting kit” to the new inhabitants that register in Schaerbeek. The kit may be composed, for example, of a reusable tote bag, a smaller bag to buy groceries in bulk, a reusable wrap to carry sandwiches, a map of all the local zero-waste initiatives and a sticker to be put on the mail box to signal that they do not want to receive paper advertisement. The objective is to provide concrete tools to prevent and reduce the production of waste, as well as create awareness among Schaerbeek’s citizens. A procurement will be launched to provide most of the kit’s components, a concrete example of how public buys may have a positive and lasting impact on the society and the environment.

Public spending must become a means to build together, with citizens and local businesses, a more just and healthy environment for future generations. This is the goal of Schaerbeek.

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