This guidance is focussed on the procurement of products, services or works that include hazardous materials or emissions in their production or use, and whether there is an opportunity to minimise such materials or emissions.
Hazardous materials are those that can cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment (Health and Safety Executive). The term includes processes that add to harmful emissions in the atmosphere, on land, or in water. This may involve the manufacture, use, or disposal of materials (e.g. solvents, other chemicals, equipment used in service delivery, and pollutants).
The aim of this guidance is to encourage safe and compliant use and management of hazardous materials as well as consideration of the use of alternative materials that minimise or eliminate negative environmental and health impacts.
The above examples are not in order of priority. This is by no means an exhaustive list and should not be treated as such. Other hazardous materials may be relevant depending on the individual procurement and sector.
This guidance is part of a series of guides which support the sustainable procurement duty tools to help public sector organisations embed sustainability into their procurement processes.
Other guides in the series, cover the following topics, which should also be considered alongside hazardous materials and emissions, where relevant. For example:
Users of this guidance are encouraged to complete sustainable procurement e-learning, available from the Sustainable Procurement Tools website.
You are encouraged to complete the Sustainability Test is a self-assessment tool designed to help buyers embed relevant and proportionate sustainability requirements consistently in the development of contracts and frameworks. The Sustainability Test includes the following question:
