Urban Environmental Management
EMS for Cities
Putting up a Green Front
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Green Procurement Questions for an EMS

There are a number of questions that can be incorporated into a greener purchasing policy, forming one of the cornerstones of an EMS Programme. Most of these questions focus on looking at products within their entire life cycle. Some examples:

    Specifications:

  • Is this purchase necessary?
  • What is the function that needs to be fulfilled?
  • Are lifetime costs included in the specification?
  • At what stage in the lifecycle are the main ecological impacts?
  • Are there any hazardous or toxic aspects?

    Production:

  • What is the environmental impact of the production process?
  • Does the supplier have an EMS?
  • Is the suppliersEcosts and business well understood?

    Investment:

  • Are all financing options, lease, hire, etc. considered?
  • Are costs of delivery and installation looked into?
  • Have storage costs, if any, been considered?
  • Have training costs, if any, been considered?

    Operations:

  • Will new procedures be needed to use the product?
  • What are the costs of fuel and power?
  • What are the manpower requirements?
  • How long does it need to last?
  • What are the costs of spares?
  • What are the costs of administrating it?

    Disposal:

  • Can the product be re-used or recycled?
  • What are the environmental impacts of disposal?
  • Who is liable?
  • Who is affected?
  • What are the costs of removal?

Source: Adopted from the UNHCR Procurement Policy
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Contact: Hari Srinivas - hsrinivas@gdrc.org