At the international seminar of the Interreg project NonHazCity, representatives of municipalities from the Baltic Sea region discussed strategies for reducing the input of hazardous substances from urban sources.
Representing the City of Vienna, Dr Manfred Klade presented the ÖkoKauf Wien ecological procurement programme and approaches to procuring cleaning agents and disinfectants that are safer for health and the environment. The focus was on how municipalities can use their purchasing power to avoid particularly problematic substances and promote less hazardous products and processes.
The seminar highlighted the importance of long-term municipal chemical strategies. Their central instruments include sustainable procurement, binding selection criteria, positive and negative lists as well as the interdisciplinary coordination of all measures for dealing with hazardous substances.