Single-use plastic cups out in State’s new green action plan

THE State will no longer purchase single-use plastic cups, and a certain amount of construction material for new projects must be recycled, under new procurement rules.

The Government has published the new Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan, which is designed to integrate green thinking into how the State buys goods and services and builds infrastructure.

From next year, a minimum proportion of construction materials procured by public bodies under new contract arrangements will comprise recycled materials. The Government will set this proportion later in 2024.

A minimum of 10% of food purchased by public sector bodies will have to be certified organic across cereals, fresh beef, pork, poultry, fish, vegetables and dairy products. Also, every new contract arrangement related to canteen or food services will include measures that are targeted at addressing food waste.

All new canteen contracts will also have to ‘cease using disposable/single-use cups, plates and cutlery from any public sector canteen, closed facility, and public sector-organised conferences’. This excludes healthcare environments.

The wide-ranging rules will also mean that where office paper for printing ‘must be procured’, it must be 100% recycled paper.

All new tenders for heating systems must not install systems that ‘use fossil fuels’ in new buildings and major renovation projects. Cleaners must be trained to ‘apply cleaning methods which will reduce the environment impact of the services’.

With some exceptions, tenders for cars or other vehicles must seek to purchase zero-emission vehicles only. The new rules touch every area of the public sector, with each body expected to incorporate them into their procurement guidelines.

The Government also expects that public procurement will play a significant role in the wider adoption of low-carbon building practices and materials.

The report said: ‘Given the significant procurement role of the State in construction, the intention is that public bodies will in future specify low-carbon construction methods and lowcarbon cement or concrete standards and other building materials in directly procured or supported construction projects.’

Green Party TD Ossian Smyth, the junior minister with responsibility for the strategy, said: ‘This Government is committed to making the circular economy a reality, which means moving to a more sustainable model of production and consumption. Green public procurement will play a key role in helping Ireland become more resource-efficient.’

Office paper must be 100% recycled