Page 36 - Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities - A U4SSC deliverable

The problem

Electronic waste or “e-waste” creates a particular dilemma for governments with regard to regulating
e-waste streams and challenges associated with how it is disposed of. Governments also need to
keep in mind that while they aim to tackle the existing e-waste streams, thousands of tonnes of the
same are being generated at the same time. In Scotland, the public sector buys 170 000 electronic
devices, including laptops, PCs and mobile phones each year, equivalent to more than 400 a day.
Although instances of re-use and recycling have increased, this level of consumption does create
environmental and reputational risks. (TCO, 2015)

In 2015, the Scottish Government launched a Green ICT strategy to manage the risks and ensure

compliance with EU requirements on sustainable buying. The task for procurement officers was
to implement the policy across a vast IT estate, while continuing to deliver value for money for
taxpayers.

“Manufacturing a sustainable product is not just about which product uses the most recycled
content or is the easiest to recycle. It is the whole life cycle of the product that tells us if it is truly
sustainable.”

Stephen Fuller, Expert on Social Responsibility, TCO Certified

The approach

Firstly, the Scottish authorities used early market engagement to inform suppliers of the policy and
work together on how to deliver it. This included the establishment of a “User Intelligence Group” of
stakeholders. Regular conference calls and face-to-face meetings were held with industry experts,
major manufacturers, resellers and other organizations within the supply chain.

Suppliers were asked how they would:

• reduce toxicity levels in products;
• minimize packaging;

• ensure carbon neutral transport of goods; and

• trace supply chains, in order to help rule out human rights abuses.

Discussions revealed that of the seven categories of device that the government bought, each
required a different approach to managing e-waste.

For example, a mobile phone, which contains potentially hazardous lithium-ion batteries, needs
to be disposed of differently from a desktop computer, containing lead, PVC and other toxins.
Furthermore, it is important also to consider the durability and the frequency with which the phone’s
software needs to be updated/upgraded. Too many updates/upgrades will make the phone slower
or too slow and, consequently, the need to buy a new one will arise.

22 Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities | May 2023