On 31 March 2024, the decree of 6 November 2023 came into force, later amended on 6 June 2024, with which the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security published the “Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) for contracts relating to catering services and the distribution of mains water for drinking purposes”, including therefore vending machines and bars, and the distribution of mains water .The CAMs aim to reduce the environmental impact produced by the operation of catering services , limiting the use of packaging , waste production and transport and at the same time encouraging the freshness of products and a greater presence of organic or fair trade offerings.
Circular economy projects and those that involve energy optimization are also promoted.
CAM on vending machines serving coffee and instant hot drinks
Better if connected to the water supply and, for the extraction of coffee beans, it is preferable that the distributors have built-in water treatment systems and a dedicated bell - if it is double, they must guarantee the presence of one blend out of two that is organic or included in the fair trade circuit, indicating any symbol or certification that demonstrates its adherence.The recognized initiatives are Fairtrade, Labelling Organizations (FLO-cert), World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and the CSQA certification against the DTP 114 Regulation .
It is essential to provide the consumer with the option to choose whether or not to add sugar , and to select the desired quantity (the maximum allowed is 4 grams per drink).
In this regard, another new rule that will come into force from January 2025: soluble drinks will have to contain a maximum of 6 grams of sugar per 100ml of product – the same amount is equivalent for sweeteners).
A rule that concerns disposable cups – when it comes to a latest-generation vending machine with a sensor to detect a reusable cup -: if you want to use them, you will have to pay an extra price of 5 cents on the drink dispensed.
CAM, waste chapter
Contracting stations must ensure correct recovery of the various materials: to this end, it is necessary to think about placing specific containers, near vending machines, for separate waste collection, naturally with the sharing of clear instructions regarding the disposal of waste materials.The service provider could also provide a single-material collection system , with respect to certain types of packaging: a virtuous example is RiVending which concerns PS (plastic cups) and PET (plastic bottles) packaging, but the contracting authority could also inquire about the possibility of applying systems of this kind also for other types of material.
The prizes
There are parameters that provide for the assignment of prizes to those contracting authorities that find the most balanced solutions between quality and price in order to win the contract itself.The ranking score could increase thanks to details such as the eco-design of vending machines.
This means, for example, that components exposed to wear or malfunctions are repairable and/or replaceable , while spare parts are easily accessible or reproducible.
Products made of different materials must be easily separated for recycling.
Parts made of plastic must have a total recycled plastic content of at least 30%.
The machines are set to reduce energy consumption , material consumption (e.g. packaging) and/or other environmental impacts throughout their life cycle.
Obviously, the choice of organic products, short supply chain products, or the adoption of electric vehicles are also a plus that raise the score, together with the drafting of a sustainability report compliant with the GRI Standards in the last two years. (Source: https://www.comunicaffe.it/ )