Sandyford
- By 2030 Ireland’s ambition is to significantly improve its circular material use rate making their national rate above the EU average by the end of the decade.
- To raise awareness amongst households, businesses, communities and individuals about the Circular Economy and how it can improve their lives.
- To support and promote increased investment in the Circular Economy in Ireland, with a view to delivering sustainable, regionally balanced economic growth and employment.
- Identifying the economic, regulatory and social barriers to the development of the circular economy in Ireland.
One major social barrier to the circular transition is lack of public awareness about what the circular economy is, how it relates to everyday purchasing and consumption decisions and the potential environmental, health and economic benefits associated with increased circularity. This lack of awareness, where it translates into lack of demand, then acts as a drag on investment in the circular economy. A related but separate barrier is found where consumers and/or businesses are aware of the circular economy as a concept but lack confidence to invest in circular products or services. This could be due to concerns regarding, for example, a perceived lack of quality in re-used or repaired goods or doubts as to the environmental credentials of nominally ‘green’ products. This point is already being addressed by the Second EU Circular Economy Action Plan, which recognises that empowering consumers and public buyers is an important element of the transition to circularity and will propose legislation to ensure consumers receive trustworthy product information about durability, repairability and the credibility of green claims.
The Irish Government have already looked at this area and CircularPSP can assist in expediting it: Public procurement policies can be an important contributor to the circular transition and demonstrate Government’s commitment to supporting green purchasing and improved availability and affordability of sustainable goods and services. DECC works closely with the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) and the EPA to promote Green Public Procurement (GPP) in line with the objectives of the WAPCE, and the Programme for Government commitment to updating all procurement frameworks, in line with GPP over the next three years. In 2019, DPER Circular 20/2019: Promoting the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy.
- Located in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, a suburb of Dublin
- Sandyford major international business district with a gross wage bill of €1 billion
- Greater Dublin Area population 2 million
- 5% improvement in Ireland’s circularity rate yield savings of €2.3 billion/year
- Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown employs 1,200 persons
- Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown is the procurer