Buy Circular Service
The Buy Circular Service concluded on 30 April 2026, as part of Sustainability Victoria’s wind‑down.
Resources in this section will remain available until 30 June. We encourage councils, champions and suppliers to download and save any key tools/resources.
The program helped accelerate circular procurement across councils in Victoria and supported councils to learn from each other. We sincerely thank council partners, champions, long‑term advocates, and key suppliers who contributed to the program’s outcomes.
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Tools and resources
Related policies, guidelines and links
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- Australian Government sustainable procurement guidelines
- Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation
- Ecologiq, Major Transport Infrastructure Authority portal - to request access email sustainableprocurement@sustainability.vic.gov.au
- MAV Procurement Policy Guidelines
- National Sustainable Procurement Guide
- National Waste Exports
- National Waste Policy
- Recycling Victoria
- Remade in Australia
- Social Procurement Framework
- Tyre product stewardship scheme
What is circular procurement?
Circular procurement is a purchasing approach that:
- focuses on buying goods and services that support a transition to a circular economy
- creates closed material and energy loops within supply chains.
Circular attributes allow for a more holistic integration of sustainability into your procurement activities, enabling closed material loops, elimination of waste and the regeneration of natural systems.
Some examples include:
- considering the need for the purchase in the first place
- reuse, refurbishment or repair of existing products or materials
- opting for a service or shared model instead of a product
- considering how a product has been designed and whether it can disassembled or reused
- using materials that are recycled, reused, non-toxic and local
- considering life cycle cost or total cost of ownership.
The Recycled First policy
The Recycled First policy is delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy, Recycling Victoria: a new economy.
The Recycled First policy intends to optimise the use of recycled and reused materials within major transport projects, build a better understanding of the types, volumes and location of recycled and reused material use and support innovation. The Recycled First Policy applies to all major transport infrastructure projects.
The Buy Recycled Service was underpinned by the Recycled First policy.
Sustainability Victoria will continue to support the Recycled First policy through its expanded service by:
- supporting councils to align procurement activities with the Recycled First policy
- sharing information and data captured through the major transport projects with councils
- accelerating council adoption of recycled products in infrastructure and landscaping
- encouraging councils to test and try recycled products
- reducing barriers to the procurement of recycled products
- challenging misconceptions of recycled materials and products and promote benefits.
While Recycled First Policy is not mandatory for local government, councils are in a unique position to leverage the learnings and momentum created by the policy and contribute to Victoria’s circular economy by increasing the use of Victorian reused and recycled materials and reducing waste.
Councils have significant buying power and play a critical role in growing markets for circular products and materials, including recycled products. The Buy Circular Service leverages this opportunity and empowers councils to make confident purchasing decisions that support Victoria's circular economy. For there to be a strong circular economy, we need strong markets for circular materials, products and services to support industry and innovation and reduce waste.