Last month sustainability charity WRAP and UKRI launch a major new UK fund to support projects to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment in India, Chile, Kenya and South Africa.
The International Circular Plastics Flagship Projects Competition is a £1.7 million fund designed to address the problem of plastics pollution in these key nations. Applicants can apply for funding ranging from £50,000 up to £250,000 that demonstrate solutions which respond to specific targets under the Plastics Pacts of each nation, and which will ultimately help reduce plastic pollution in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The funding focusses on four key themes:
- Flexible film packs including small format
- Reusable packaging and new business models
- Collection, sorting, cleaning and recycling
- End Market Development
WRAP, the UK based charity which has driven the development of Plastics Pacts in the UK and around the world, including those in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network of Pacts, will deliver the grant on behalf of UKRI.
David Rogers, Head of International Programmes at WRAP said; “This funding forms a key part of our ongoing work to reduce the impact of plastic pollution across the globe. It will address one of the world’s most urgent and escalating environmental challenges and show how innovation and collaboration can contribute towards systematic change. I am pleased to announce the funding during COP26 when nations have come together, as the improvements this fund will make will be felt in many nations.
“WRAP is proud to have worked on each of the Plastics Pacts, which now means that there is now a Plastics Pact in every populous continent on the planet.”
Paul Davison, Challenge Director for the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge at UKRI, “Representatives from dozens of nations have gathered at Cop26 at Glasgow this week to try to find solutions for environmental issues that affect the entire planet. One the most urgent issues is that of plastic pollution. UKRI and the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge is in the vanguard of supporting efforts to address this challenge and we are proud to support this vital initiative.”
Organisations who are interested in applying should do so before the 13 January 2022 at 23:45 GMT. more information can be found on WRAP’s website.