Stockholm pilots circular, climate-friendly and chemical-smart procurement in everyday supplies

Within the CCC-2 project, the City of Stockholm is piloting how circular, climate-friendly and chemical-smart (CCC) principles can be integrated into large-scale public procurement. Stockholm’s pilots focus on everyday products that are used across many municipal services – from workwear and shoes to paper and plastic consumables – making them highly relevant for reducing environmental impacts at scale.

All three procurement cases are developed in line with the city’s Environment Programme 2030, which sets ambitious goals related to climate impact, hazardous substances and circular economy. Procurement is identified as a key strategic tool for achieving these goals, supported by close cooperation between the central procurement function and experts from the Environment and Health Department.

Case 1: Paper and plastic consumables – reducing single-use impacts at scale

The first procurement case covers paper and plastic consumables, including single-use food contact materials, soft tissues and dispensers, plastic food containers for healthcare, and various types of plastic bags. This is a high-volume procurement, with a previous four-year contract value of 15 million euros.

To illustrate the scale: the City of Stockholm purchases around 54 tonnes of paper-based single-use food contact materials every year, many of which contain a plastic layer. This makes the procurement a key leverage point for reducing environmental and climate impacts.

Key objectives are to reduce environmental impact, improve material choices, and address chemical content, recyclability and climate impact. Stockholm is working on reducing single-use where possible, increasing the use of eco-labelled paper products, expanding recycled plastic content, and improving recyclability – for example by avoiding materials that hinder sorting and recycling.

Data collection and verification are an important part of this pilot, supporting impact assessment under CCC-2. Previous experience, such as PFAS testing of paper-based food contact materials, provides a strong foundation for further improvements.

Case 2: Workwear textiles – durability, circularity and PFAS-free materials

Another procurement case from this city focuses on a framework contract for workwear textiles, covering both indoor and outdoor clothing such as T-shirts, healthcare and kitchen clothing, jackets, trousers, gloves and accessories. The current contract period had an estimate of 5 million euros in value.

The main ambition is to provide durable, high-quality textiles with strong environmental performance for the employees in the city. According to the environment programme, Stockholm aims to use  procurement as a strategic tool to reduce the presence of PFAS and further developing circular systems within the city, while also using recognised standards and ecolabels where appropriate. Environmental and health experts are involved early in the process, contributing to market dialogues and the selection of criteria.

Case 3: Workwear shoes – extending product life and reducing chemical risks

The third case addresses workwear shoes used across the city, including preschools, elderly care, janitorial services and street management. The current contract value can be estimated at 1-2 million euros.

Here, Stockholm’s environmental goals directs the focus to reducing hazardous chemicals, improving material choices, and significantly strengthening circular solutions. This can include options for extended product lifetimes and improved maintenance practices. Climate considerations are also integrated, for example through transport-related requirements that are already supported by political decisions.

“Sustainable Preschool” concept

The three procurement cases presented above are closely connected to Stockholm’s broader development work under the Sustainable Preschool concept within CCC-2. This city-wide initiative focuses on the use phase of products and materials in preschools, addressing chemicals, climate impact and circularity through everyday practices – such as reducing single-use items, choosing safer materials, minimising food waste, improving resource efficiency, and creating healthy indoor and outdoor environments.

Through pilot preschools, concrete activities and routines are tested in close dialogue with educators, kitchen staff, property owners and environmental experts. The procurement cases play a key enabling role in this work: by ensuring that framework contracts for items such as consumables, workwear and shoes support safer materials, circular solutions and lower climate impact, preschools are given the practical conditions needed to change how products are used in daily operations.

Together, the Sustainable Preschool concept and the procurement cases create a pathway from individual contracts to scalable, city-wide change, with the child perspective as a central driver.

Contact details:

Anne Lagerqvist, PhD, Project manager and Environmental investigator, ChemCilmCircle-2

City of Stockholm

anne.lagerqvist@stockholm.se

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