Plastic packaging from renewable raw materials

During tender evaluation, check that the specified technical documentation complies with the award criterion for the product(s) the supplier has stated pass(es) the criterion and for which points/price reductions are awarded.

During the contractual period, follow-up can be carried out during, for example, appraisal meetings with the supplier. Request information from the supplier and check that the supplier meets the award criterion during the entirety of the contractual period for the added value the supplier has received for products with packaging made from renewable raw materials. The documentation shall explain how the proportion of renewable raw materials has been calculated, the origin of the raw material and the period of time the calculation refers to.

This requirement is formulated as an award criterion. Suppliers whose tenders meet the criterion are rewarded with added value during tender evaluation, but this does not prevent suppliers that do not pass the criterion from advancing during tender evaluation.

Before the criterion is set and any percentage is specified, a market dialogue should be conducted to ensure that these are reasonable with regards to the product(s) in question. The requirement can be set for primary packaging that is in direct contact with foodstuffs. It is important to ensure that all materials that are mixed in with renewable raw materials are food safe in accordance with Article 3 of the FCM Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/2004. Further information about market analyses can be found under Innovation in Procurement.

Select an evaluation model that fits your specific procurement object where this award criterion can be included. Remember to specify the weighting of the award criteria according to your needs and objectives. Further information about evaluation models and bases for evaluation can be found under Public Procurement.

The requirement does not cover plastics that are biodegradable and cannot be recycled using existing recycling systems. In Sweden, such plastics are not composted, so they are sent for incineration. Additional added value could be granted for renewable plastics that can be recycled in existing recycling systems if this is assessed to be pertinent to the selected evaluation model. Renewable plastics that cannot be recycled in existing recycling systems are usually referred to as "drop-in plastics", and these include bio-PE (bio-polyethylene) and bio-PET (bio-polyethylene terephthalate). 

There is currently no official existing standard regarding the content of recycled or renewable raw materials connected to traceability and certification of recycled or renewable materials. Work is under way to develop global ISO standards within the European standardisation body CEN/SIS, such as with regards to mass balance. Additional information about mass balance.

In a circular economy, waste is viewed as a resource that can be circulated. By making use of recycled raw materials, we reduce our dependence on oil as well as minimising emissions of greenhouse gases.¹ By requiring that packaging shall contain recycled raw materials, demand for that recycled raw material increases. The challenge with recycled raw materials is obtaining the correct type of material. Recycled material can contain hazardous substances, and it is difficult to find information about the quality of the recycled material. Another option is packaging produced from material made from recycled raw material for which more information is available regarding its quality and origin; that is, that biofeed stock replacing fossil-based raw material in plastic production has been recycled in a sustainable manner.

For example, plastic can be produced from renewables such as wood raw material and tall oil. This can allow for a climate-neutral plastic that can be recycled one or more times as long as renewable raw material is available in the volumes demanded. However, it is important to take into account the environmental impact of the entire manufacturing process. In the food and retail sectors, a great deal of work is under way to develop new and innovative packaging solutions made from renewable raw materials, which could also be used in relevant primary packaging. There is also research showing that biobased plastics generate lower carbon-dioxide emissions than recycled ones unless the recycling process is efficient.¹

Today, bioplastics comprise less than one percent of the more than 320 million tonnes of plastic produced annually worldwide.² The bioplastics industry is growing quickly and in an innovative manner, but it is important that biological diversity and ecosystem services are not negatively impacted. It is therefore important that there is sustainable access to a renewable raw material and that the origin of the raw material and proportion of biobased plastic included in goods and services can be established and reported in a reliable manner. It is currently not possible to obtain plastic that is 100 percent renewable. The highest proportion is around 70-90 percent, an example being renewable polyethylene based on sugar cane. In the long term, it is important that the production of biobased raw materials is not sourced from food production.

¹The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, 2021; Plast i byggsektorn. En kartläggning av biobaserade och återvunna alternativ, in swedish (Plastics in the building industry. Identifying biobased and recycled alternatives. 

²Svensk bioplastförening. Vad skiljer en bioplast från vanlig plast?, in swedish (What is the difference between bioplastic and regular plastic?

The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.