District Herzogtum Lauenburg pilots chemical-smart, climate-conscious and circular procurement in everyday municipal purchases

As part of ChemClimCircle-2, the district Herzogtum Lauenburg (town Ratzeburg, Germany) is testing how sustainability criteria can be systematically integrated into different areas of municipal procurement. Through three pilot cases – firefighter workwear, renovation materials and flood protection equipment – the district demonstrates how chemical safety, climate considerations and circular economy principles can be embedded into routine purchasing processes.

Across all pilots, the municipality aims to reduce hazardous substances, lower life-cycle climate impacts and promote durability and resource efficiency. The climate action unit, procurement department and respective specialist departments collaborate closely to translate these objectives into concrete tender requirements.

Case 1: Safer and more sustainable firefighter workwear

In the first pilot, the district procures daily workwear for firefighters through a negotiated procedure with an estimated contract value of approximately 20,000 euros over two years.

Traditionally, such procurements focused primarily on functionality and compliance with safety standards. Within the CCC-2 framework, the municipality now integrates additional criteria addressing hazardous substances in textiles, durability and environmental performance of fabrics and finishing processes.

The fire service defines functional and user requirements, while the procurement department ensures legal compliance. The climate action unit contributes expertise on chemical safety, climate impacts and circular aspects. Compliance with sustainability requirements may be verified through recognised textile labels, certificates or equivalent documentation.

By embedding CCC criteria into everyday protective clothing, the district seeks to improve skin safety, increase transparency regarding chemical content and reduce environmental impacts over the product life cycle.

Case 2: Low-emission and sustainable renovation materials

A second pilot addresses renovation materials, particularly paints and varnishes. The procurement – likely to be conducted through a negotiated procedure – aims to integrate chemical safety, climate and circular economy criteria into renovation tenders.

In the past, hazardous substances, climate impacts and circularity were not systematically addressed in renovation works. The new approach prioritises low-emission, tox-free paints and coatings to improve indoor air quality and protect building users, while also considering durability and environmental performance over the life cycle.

The facility management department defines technical requirements, the procurement department manages the procedure, and the climate action unit ensures that sustainability aspects are reflected in technical specifications and award criteria. Verification may rely on recognised environmental labels, certificates or product data sheets.

This pilot strengthens the link between public health, indoor environmental quality and climate-conscious procurement practices.

Case 3: Sustainable sandbags for flood protection

The third case focuses on sandbags for flood protection, procured through a direct award with an estimated value of approximately 5,000 euros.

While sandbags were previously selected mainly based on functionality and availability, the municipality now considers environmental impacts such as microplastic release from fossil-based plastic materials. The objective is to identify more sustainable material solutions that ensure operational reliability while reducing environmental harm.

The civil protection department defines safety requirements, the procurement department oversees the procedure, and the climate action unit provides expertise on material impacts, microplastics and circular economy aspects. Sustainability criteria may include avoidance of fossil-based plastics, durability and improved end-of-life options, verified through technical data sheets or material declarations.

From operational procurement to strategic sustainability

Together, the three pilots demonstrate how the district Herzogtum Lauenburg is integrating chemical-smart, climate-conscious and circular principles into diverse procurement categories – from textiles and construction materials to emergency equipment.

By systematically introducing CCC-related criteria into tender documents and award specifications, the district moves beyond functionality-only procurement towards a more holistic sustainability approach. These practical examples show how even smaller-scale procurements can contribute to reducing hazardous substances, lowering climate impacts and promoting circular economy principles in everyday municipal operations.

Contact details:

Corina Müller

Climate Change Management, Administration of the District of Lauenburg Duchy

C.Mueller@Kreis-RZ.de

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