FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend NederlandRVO), provides the opportunity to apply for grants for generic research projects or showcases.
In 2023, CPNL issued a 'tender' of 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
CPNL expects to announce a new round for applications in spring 2026, through RVO, it will be published in the Government Gazette.
In our monthly newsletter the announcements and openings for open calls will be shared, 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.
Through the RVO scheme, 9 projects started in 2025, and 5 projects started in 2024: See also:
Community & Projects
Custom applications: In 2024 and 2025, NTCP, Brightlands Circular Space and Circular Aromatics received grants through a butwork application
Scientific research NWO: In 2024, 10 studies were initiated - 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.
Investment in a Demonstration Project (DEMO) The definition is as follows: A CPNL demonstration project is distinguished from other projects by the nature of the activity of demonstration and what is to be demonstrated with it. The definition states that a demonstration project may also include partially experimental development other than a pilot. The word "demonstration" is also used with other meanings. Often it is in the research and development phase. 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.
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.