A PPI4WASTEnews.

TheAssociation of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (ACR+) is an international network of cities and regions that has been facilitating the exchange of information and best practices on material resource management, following the multi-R approach (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – and more), and this since 1994. The network gathers almost 90 members, representing more than 1000 municipalities, including cities and regions with the most active waste and resource policies. In an innovative and transparent way, ACR+ encourages the evolution of material resource management to increase the adoption of more circular methods.

ACR+ and its members are working on the topic of public procurement through different aspects. If PPI4Waste was for ACR+ the opportunity to facilitate the use by its members of public procurement of innovation, it also works on the topic of green public procurement through its involvement in the LIFE FUTURE project. This project is focusing on green public procurement for urban furniture and is working on developing an online tool, the GUF Tool, to support public bodies during the decision making process of purchasing more environmental friendly urban furniture.

In addition and to encourage a broader use of circular public procurement, ACR+ has been working on some guidance material and produced several factsheets of the Circular Europe Network (CEN) on this topic. Indeed, The CEN compiles an inventory of policy initiatives (at national, regional and local levels) for circular economy, including about the strategic use of public procurement as one of the tools that can be used by cities and regions to foster circular economy on their territory. Among others, factsheets are dedicated to the greening of buildings in the Basque Country (Spain) and to the sustainable public procurement strategy of the city of Ghent (Belgium).

To boost innovation and give access to its members to innovative technologies and systems, ACR+ is involved in several European projects. Amongst these, it is worth mentioning the two H2020 research projects DECISIVE, on decentralised management scheme for innovative valorisation of urban bio-waste, and URBANREC, on eco-innovative and integral bulky waste management system which aims to enhance prevention, improve logistics and allow new waste treatments to obtain high added value recycled products.

ACR+ is strongly committed to push for more innovation in the waste sector, in particular through public procurement. This is why it took the lead of the PPI4Waste project following the termination of the previous coordinator. ACR+ will continue to work further on the topic of public procurement within circular economy with its members to exchange expertise and build common projects capitalising on the findings and topics of PPI4Waste.

Interested cities and regions are welcome to get in touch with ACR+ for further collaboration on this topic.