FAQ

Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) is an initiative within the National Growth Fund. The goal is to make plastics fully circular and use grants to accelerate the transition. The program started in 2023, runs for eight years with different program lines. Each program line focuses on bottlenecks in different value chains to close the cycles for existing plastics.

Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) is an initiative within the National Growth Fund. The National Growth Fund invests in projects that make the greatest possible contribution to sustainable and structural economic growth. The National Growth Fund does this together with initiators and other investors. For CPNL, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (after July 2024 Climate and Green Growth) has earmarked €220 million for projects. For more information about the growth fund look: here

A CPNL program line is a name/part of the CPNL program. Each program line focuses on bottlenecks in different value chains to close the cycles for existing plastics. The program lines are: Systems Integration & Design; Characterization, sorting and washing; Mechanical recycling of polyolefin packaging and films; Recycling of styrene-based materials; Chemical depolymerization; Thermochemical recycling; Brightlands Circular Space

This program line focuses on exploring the impact of partially and maximally circular plastics chains in the Netherlands by mapping the positive and negative impacts within key societal themes such as economy, technology, environment, health and societal aspects. We develop methods to measure and share this information, essential for decision-making and accelerating circular developments. For more information on systems integration and design see: here

In 2023, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate appointed a board for the Circular Plastics NL Foundation. Meanwhile, oversight is vested in a Supervisory Board and CPNL's program office implements the plans under the leadership of a director-director. The office employs specialists in strategy, management and communication. Program managers lead and develop the various program lines. For more information about the CPNL organization look here

The members of the program council advise the board to ensure that the rollout of the program remains in line with current developments in the industry and the knowledge available in the Netherlands and abroad.

An open call is a "call for proposals" for a grant application for companies and/or knowledge institutions.

CPNL, through the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), puts out a 'tender' with generic research projects or showcases in 2025. In 2023, CPNL has issued a 'tender' with generic research projects through RVO and a 'call for proposals' for scientific research by Netherlands Organization for Scientific Education (NWO). Announcements for open calls are shared in our monthly newsletter, you can sign up here

In December 2024, the new scheme, a "tender" through RVO, will be published in the Government Gazette.

Announcements and openings for open calls will be shared in our monthly newsletter, sign up can be done here

Open calls will be announced in advance in our monthly newsletter, sign up can be done here .

Everyone: all parties, including small and medium-sized enterprises, knowledge institutions and industry associations that can contribute to the objectives of the program, possibly in a consortium. A consortium consists of several parties working together on a project proposal. To find partners (private and scientific) you can use our matchmaking platform B2Match explore and use.

Projects submitted to RVO can start when the project plan is submitted. Activities are only eligible if the grant is awarded.

Research Projects RVO

- MoQuP-R: NTCP, Maastricht University, TNO, LyondellBasell, Danone, Graham Packaging, Verpact - UPTYRE: Recybem, Hogeschool Windesheim and University of Twente, Reedijk Used Tyres, Kargro Recycling, Apollo Tyres (Europe), Avantes, Spectral Industries, Rubber Resources, New Born Rubber

Showcases RVO

SKILLS: Trioworld, Grolsch, Broeckx recycling, NTCP

Cap-to-Cap Recycling: Morssinkhof Plastics, SABIC, Mors-Invest, Corvaglia Mould AG, DUCARES (Triskelion), Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Netherlands

TEXPOWER: DPI, Kringcoop, Frankenhuis, Saxion, Cellicon, Textile Fiber Boost, SaXcell, Spinning Jenny, Enschede Textile City Innovation

Custom applications

NTCP and Brightlands Circular Space

Scientific research NWO

10 studies - read more here .

The activities required to write and submit a proposal are not eligible with the National Growth Fund. Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) is an initiative within the National Growth Fund.

For the upcoming scheme, a "tender" through RVO, which will be published in the Government Gazette in December 2024, maximum amounts will be made available per research project and per showcase. Final amounts and percentages will be published by RVO based on the submitted budget and project plan, taking into account state aid rules.

A project that focuses on a particular material and aims to identify and eliminate bottlenecks in a specific value chain. Based on the topics, an opportunity arises in the market to close this value chain and this can be used as a blueprint to close another value chain for the same material. A description and significance of the CPNL showcases in the RVO scheme in 2025 will be available on the RVO website.

Investments in a Demonstration Project (DEMO) A demonstration project is a coherent set of activities involving a technical and economic risk, in which those activities consist of taking measures at the applicant's premises that fit the description of the relevant showcases using: a. equipment, systems or techniques that are new to the Netherlands, or b. an application of equipment, systems or techniques that is new to the Netherlands. For a demonstration project, this subsidy module involves investment support for investments in installations that remain in use after the project is completed. The word "demonstration" is also used with other meanings. Often it is in the phase of research and development. For example: the demonstration of the principle or of a prototype. This can be full-scale. In a demonstration project, the installation remains in use even after the project. Is that not the case? Because you dismantle the installation or it comes to a standstill? Then this may be a pilot project (experimental development). Then it is not a demonstration project.

Right now, no.

Within the Circular Plastics NL program, a call for proposals for academic research on the (continued) development of recycling technologies that can handle both fossil and biobased was completed through NWO in 2024.

For a purely natural materials cycle, the BioBased Circular growth fund program, among others, has been launched.

No. The efforts of all parties participating in the growth fund proposal have resulted in a vital and broad-based program.
It illustrates the support in the market and demonstrates the need for action on the challenges of circular plastics.

The open calls in the CPNL program have been made accessible to all parties who can contribute to the goals of the program.

Yes. The National Growth Fund expects co-funding for the CPNL open calls.

RVO: Co-financing is required for project proposals within the Circular Plastics NL grant module of RVO in 2025. More information on the percentage level can be found on the RVO website .

NWO: The NWO call for proposals for (scientific) research in 2023 used a minimum co-funding percentage of 10%.

It is possible to include foreign parties as co-financers within a consortium, provided that the subsidy funds are spent in the Netherlands and the activities take place in the Netherlands. Full conditions will be published via announcement(s) in the Government Gazette.

To find partners (private and scientific), please use our matchmaking platform B2Match explore and use. Also CPNL organizes several events for and about the grant scheme, you can register here