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POLICY DOCUMENT
POLICY NAME
POLICY NUMBER
Sustainable Purchasing Supply
FS 003
DATE ADOPTED
COUNCIL MINUTE NUMBER
20 November 2006
ORD 1179
ECM NUMBER
POLICY TYPE
3858499
Council
REVIEW DATE
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT
Under Review
Financial Services
RELATED DOCUMENTS
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Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a purchasing framework that will advance the
sustainable use of resources and reduce impacts on the environment and human health.
Refer also, the Local Government Act (1993) Sections 7-8.
Policy Statement
This policy aims to demonstrate to the community that our purchasing decisions can improve
markets for environmentally preferred products, enhance environmental quality, be resource
responsible and contribute to progress toward sustainability.
Scope
This policy applies to all Council employees
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POLICY:
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a purchasing framework that will advance the
sustainable use of resources and reduce impacts on the environment and human health.
Refer also, the Local Government Act (1993) Sections 7-8.
Scope
This policy applies to all Council employees.
Objectives
• To demonstrate to the community that our purchasing decisions can improve markets
for environmentally preferred products, enhance environmental quality, be resource
responsible and contribute to progress toward sustainability.
•
Council’s preference is to purchase environmentally preferred products whenever
they perform satisfactorily and are available at a reasonable price.
•
To reduce impacts on the environment and human health through changing
purchasing behaviour.
•
By adopting a “Green” Purchasing Policy, council aims to:
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Eliminate unnecessary purchasing
Improve the environment
Reduce its impact on the environment
Reduce its impact on human health
Contribute to progress towards sustainability
Definitions
The following definitions provide a more detailed explanation of Sustainable Purchasing
requirements.
Energy efficient products or facilities use less energy than typical products or facilities to
provide a given energy service (heating, lighting...) or level of activity.
Environmentally preferred or “Green” products are products and services that have less
effect on human health and the environment than competing products and services that
serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider the source of raw materials,
production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, potential for reuse and recycling,
operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product.
Greenhouse effect The Greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth
experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (Greenhouse gases) trap energy from
the sun. Without these gases, Earth’s average temperature would not be warm enough for
humans to live. Global warming is the result of a build-up of Greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, and could result in serious environmental damage. Greenhouse gases are
produced from the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, emissions from landfills and other
sources, including the manufacture, use and disposal of products.
Greenhouse friendly products are products that create less Greenhouse gas emissions at
one or more stages of their life cycle than competing products and services that serve the
same purpose.
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Post-consumer is material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and
institutional facilities in their role as end users of the product, which can no longer be used
for its intended purpose. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.
Pre-consumer is material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process.
Excluded is re-utilisation of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a
process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.
Practicable means satisfactory in performance and available at a reasonable cost.
Recycled materials are those that have been reprocessed from recovered (reclaimed)
material by means of a manufacturing process and made into a final product or into a
component for incorporation into a product.
Recycled content products are made from materials that have been recovered, processed
and used as a raw material for the manufacture of a useful new product through a
commercial process. These products will contain a specified percentage of material that
would otherwise have been disposed of as waste.
Re-manufacture means to renew or restore a used product into its original form or into a
useful new product through a commercial process.
Sustainable use of resources is use that meets the present needs of the user while also
taking into account external and future costs, including costs to the environment, human
health and depletion of resources.
Value for money is the identification and inclusion of all direct and indirect costs associated
with a particular product or material. This includes the initial cost of purchase, length of
warranty, cost of operating the product, anticipated maintenance and repair, and the direct
and indirect costs (or financial return) associated with disposal or removal of the product at
the end of its useful life. Wherever possible, Council employees and contractors will pursue
the following goals and adhere to the specified principles when purchasing products,
materials and services.
Minimum Unnecessary Purchasing
Purchases shall only be made once it has been determined that the product or service is
necessary.
Minimum Waste
Purchasing decisions shall be made in the context of the waste hierarchy to avoid, reduce,
reuse and recycle.
 AVOID
Identifying ways of carrying out a function or task without using materials that
generate waste. An example is sending information electronically instead of on
paper.

REDUCE
Using less in the first place and avoiding waste. Examples of this include purchasing
in bulk to reduce packaging and the purchase of printing equipment that prints double
sided.
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
REUSE
Using the same item more than once, and extending the useful life of products and
equipment before replacing an item. Aim to re-use or repair an existing product.
Ensure that new purchases are durable, have a long service life and are easy to
maintain and upgrade.

RECYCLE
Purchasing products that contain recycled materials or those that have or can be remanufactured.
General
Buyers are to be conscious at all times of the ongoing requirement to:
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Minimise the use of hazardous and dangerous substances (Refer also Supply Policy
titled, “Hazardous substances”).
Minimise waste.
Maintain and improve the quality of water, soil and air.
Avoid pollution and damage to the environment.
With this in mind all employees should endeavour to purchase only those goods and
services with the most beneficial environmental impact. Whenever appropriate relevant
environmental criteria are to be included in all specifications, quotations and tender
documents. Compliance with these criteria should be determined during evaluation and
offers not meeting them may be rejected, just as non-compliance with any other aspects of a
specification may lead to rejection. Employees should endeavour to weigh the costs
associated with the purchase of environmentally friendly products with the benefits (both
long and short term) provided.
When compiling specifications employees should consider:
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•
•
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Content of the product/service: Products or services that contain materials that
are produced sustainably and which contain reconditioned components or
recycled materials.
Reusable or Recyclable: Products that are reusable and /or recyclable would also
be preferred. Suppliers that undertake product stewardship (for example,
suppliers that are willing to take back products at the end of their life) would be
given preference.
Environmental Performance of Goods & Services: Goods and services that offer
better environmental performance, such as high-energy efficiency and low
pollutant or chemical emissions throughout their lifecycle would be given
preference.
The Environmental Performance of the Supplier: Suppliers, who minimise their
energy consumption and minimise waste and environmental impacts arising from
their production processes will be given preference. Suppliers will also be
required to demonstrate that they have a certified environmental management
system (not mandatory) and to provide any relevant annual or environmental
reports for examination.
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Other specific considerations should include the following:
Minimum Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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•
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Purchase energy efficient products and materials by checking that the energy
rating and efficiency features are the best available for the cost over the lifetime
of the product.
Purchase renewable energy and reduce the purchase of fossil fuels.
Purchase goods that have not been transported long distances.
Minimum Habitat Destruction
•
•
Purchase paper and wood products obtained from recycled, plantation, salvaged
or renewable sources.
Purchase “Green” cleaning products that don’t result in discharges of toxic
chemicals to waterways.
Minimum toxicity
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•
Purchase materials and products that are free of toxic or polluting materials.
Purchase products and materials that will not release toxic substances that can
affect human health and pollute water, land or air at any stage of their life cycle.
Maximum Water Efficiency
•
Purchase products that conserve water or use water in an efficient way.
Minimum Soil Degradation
•
Purchase products, materials and services that will not degrade or pollute the
soil, or result in erosion through their use.
Minimise Waste
•
Goods, which can be reused or recycled rather than disposed of by dumping or
burning and are supplied with the absolute minimum packaging.
Purchasing Decisions
Purchasing decisions will be made on the basis of value for money, rather than just the
cheapest up-front purchase price.
Where products that are not environmentally preferred are chosen solely on the basis of
cost, the employee must detail the reasons for not purchasing environmentally preferred
products.
VII. Other references
PCC Hazardous Substances Policy
PCC Disposals Policy
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