Green deal for reducing hazardous substances in kindergartens and pre-school environment

In November 2020, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of the Environment, the cities of Helsinki, Tampere, and Vantaa, and the procurement organizations Monetra Oulu Ltd. and Tuomi Logistiikka Ltd. announced a voluntary national green deal to reduce harmful substances in early childhood education environment.

The agreement is valid until the end of 2025. KEINO network-based Competence center for Sustainable and Innovative public procurement supports the implementation of the agreement.

The aim of the agreement is to reduce harmful chemicals in the early childhood education environment through public procurement. In addition, to increase the procurement of products and services that have been awarded the Nordic Ecolabel.

What is the national procurement green deal?

The green deal is a voluntary procurement-focused contract model that a procurement unit makes with the ministry. The procurement green deal is a new model in Finland. The contract model has been developed in co-operation with procurement units and ministries. The green deal agreement supports the procurement units’ achieving their strategic goals.  Support is provided for the preparation and implementation of procurement.

The agreement sets ambitious and concrete targets for procurement. The goals support sustainable development and innovation in procurement. The objectives and aimed level will be specified on a contract-by-contract basis.

Objectives of the green deal agreement for reducing hazardous substances in kindergartens and pre-school environment

The goal of the green deal agreement (2020 - 2025) is to reduce the total exposure of children to chemicals through public procurement.

The agreement’s goals:

• Reduce content of antimicrobial substances, fragrances and dyes as well as substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in environments.    
• Apply stricter chemical restrictions than is required by the EU Toy Safety Directives and Finnish law on the procurement of all toys (kids under 14 years old).
• Encourage municipalities and other contracting public authorities to require information on substances of Very High Concern on call for tenders.
• Create shared procurement criteria and contract terms for the reduction of harmful substances.

Procurement criterias

Following product groups criterias have been published 2020–2023 (only in Finnish):

• Detergents, Cleaning Services
• Outdoor Playground Equipments and Furniture
• Indoor Toys
• Indoor Furniture