On the 11th December in Warsaw Circular PP Project staff from RRDA (Poland) took part in the Circular Economy event organized by INNOWO-Instytut Innowacji i Odpowiedzialnego Rozwoju. The main subject of the event was: “Systemic approach to the circular architecture – technologies and regulations”. The meeting was the second in the series of meetings organized by INNOWO and dedicated the circularity within the architecture. Mr Krzysztof Żarnotal from Synthos presented issue related with EU regulatory policy regarding the plastic. The Participants discussed the main barriers of decision-makers involvement with circular economy. The key issues making it difficult are, among others: lack of systemic approach, low level of consumer consciousness  (“the price” criterion  as most important in the procurement procedures), low effectiveness of regulatory activities (over-regulation, hasty regulations, etc.). The educational activities of decision-makers seems to be the crucial element of each strategical steps within implementation of circular economy, especially related with public procurement procedures. Presentation of the circular economy issues and implementation of them into the practice is difficult not only due to the fact that in Europe exists 114 definitions of circular economy, but primarily due to the misunderstanding of specific technological issues (ex. production processes, ingredients of products). The RRDA representatives presented the Circular PP project idea with special attention on pilot actions conducted by the project’s Partners within circular procurement. They discussed the importance of dissemination activities to share the knowledge about circular economy among public sector entities, as well as among the firms. The participants of the event were representatives of two Polish ministries: the Ministry of Enterprise and Technology, and the Ministry of Investment and Development; private companies; development agencies and local government agencies; NGOs operated in circular economy. The Ministry of Enterprise and Technology is working on final version of Polish Circular Economy Roadmap, which would be the base for further activities related with implementation of circular economy approach in Poland. The document describes the key elements of CE: production, consumption, economy and new business models, including public procurements. Within this last aspect the Ministry takes into consideration the implementation of new regulations and preparing the proposition of changing the law. In turn, the representative of the Ministry of Investment and Development underlined that Ministry is focused on implementation of non-regulatory incentives for entities interested in circular public procurement. Participants discussed also the implementation of the Life-Cycle Costs Approach (LCCA) into public procurement in architecture. The representatives of building sectors stated that 2018 was a difficult year for the firms operated in this sector and there is a need to implement of support system ex. in the form of tax breaks for them. They also paid attention on necessity of solving a problem related with insufficient waste management. Approximately 40% of waste became from demolition, restoration or renovation of the buildings. The participants discussed the issue of ensuring the extension of buildings’ life (“the second life of the buildings” concept), based on the good practices from other countries.

The next event is planned on February 2019 and RRDA representatives confirmed their participation in it.