This case study pertains to the waste management of operations in the city of Malmö, including schools, preschools, department offices, and sports halls, among others. The aim is to ensure that every municipal building becomes part of this contract once their current waste management contract ends. The contract focuses on the collection of separated waste like cardboard, plastic and aluminium/tins. While the responsibility for managing these types of waste lies with the producers, it is the municipality's responsibility to organise and cover the costs of collection. On the other hand, residual waste, paper, and food waste are collected through Va Syd, a water and waste company owned by the municipality. The collection of residual waste comes at higher costs, serving as an incentive to encourage waste sorting practices.
Many of the municipal operations already have contracts for collection of waste. However, there has not been a comprehensive municipal-wide contract in place, and many of the department-specific contracts lack environmental criteria. This fragmented approach to waste management contracts hampers effective guidance and control, and it also complicates the monitoring process. Moreover, the municipality believes that this fragmented approach leads to increased costs and time consumption, as each department must independently undergo the tendering process.
Sorting of waste must be seen as a fundamental aspect towards the implementation of a circular economy. If the basic waste management practices are not effectively established, it can pose challenges in advancing towards a circular economy. Therefore, this procurement isas an important step into the right direction.