Reduced plastic use and circular plastics economy 2024
The call for applications is closed.
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About the call for applications
The goal of the call for applications is to support projects that contribute to reducing plastic volumes through increased lifespan of plastic and packaging products, primarily through better design and new business models that include repair and reuse.
The call is solely directed at the packaging, textiles, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as construction and building industries in Norway. Within this scope, it is also possible to apply for funding for projects outside Norway, provided that the solution or knowledge can make the Norwegian plastics system more circular.
Who can apply?
All types of companies can apply. Projects that meet the following criteria will be prioritized:
- The project considers the entire value chain, both through relevant project partners and documented expertise in critical success factors
- The amount of plastic in the project provides the necessary scale for the solution to be economically sustainable and provide significant environmental impact
- Projects with a solid anchoring with the problem owner
The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund cannot disburse support to members. This means that members cannot be the applicant but can participate as a project partner, provided that the project results are made openly available, both for members and non-members.
The autumn calls for applications are a one-step application process (without a sketch application) where applicants have a six-week deadline to submit a full application.
Key Information
- Announced framework: Up to NOK 75 million
- Project duration: Up to 2 years after grant allocation
- Requirement for other financing: At least 50% of total project costs
- One-step application process, i.e., full application only
Important Dates
2. september
Offentliggjøring
11. oktober
Kl. 16:00: Frist for full søknad
Senest 10. desember
Svar på søknaden (tildeling/avslag)
Priorities of the Call for Applications
Construction and civil engineering
Vision
The use of plastic products in the construction industry has increased significantly in recent decades and is now the second largest end-use market for plastic in Norway. As a result, a very large amount of plastic has accumulated in Norwegian buildings and infrastructure, which in the coming years will create large and unpredictable waves of plastic waste that may have to be energy recovered at worst. The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund aims both to contribute to making this waste part of the circular plastics economy and to reduce plastic use in the sector going forward.
In this industry, funding can therefore only be applied for projects that contribute to:
- Extending the lifespan of products made of plastic, for example through reuse and/or repair
- Smart design that enables the use of less plastic
- Increased source sorting of plastic waste in the construction industry to ensure clean material streams
- New facilities for sorting and material recycling of plastic from this industry
Packaging
Target Image
The European Parliament is expected to approve in November the regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR), which replaces the current directive (PPWD). The objectives in the regulation will require a rapid transition to reuse and the use of recycled plastics in new packaging, including for products that come into contact with foodstuffs. Much packaging must be incorporated into various types of reuse systems. For packaging that can only be used once, closed loops should be developed so that the recycled plastic can be used for the same application.
The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund aims with this call for applications to prioritize projects that develop solutions and knowledge contributing to the transition of the Norwegian plastic system so that the upcoming objectives and requirements of the regulation are met.
In this sector, funding can only be applied for projects that contribute to:
1. Reuse solutions:
- Refill in-store, both for foodstuffs and non-food items such as soap and cleaning agents
- Home delivery of products in reusable packaging with collection (return) of empty packaging
- Reuse solutions for take-away packaging for both food and drink
- Reuse solutions for transport packaging, including distribution packaging (d-pack).
Reusable packaging must have a well-thought-out design that allows for as many rotations as possible and meets safety, quality, and hygiene requirements when the packaging is filled, emptied, cleaned, and reused. Projects that contribute to the development of solutions across brands will be prioritized.
2. Recycling in closed loops:
Projects that contribute to comprehensive solutions for recycling in closed loops, for both foodstuffs and non-food. Recycling in closed loops must enable the use of recycled plastic for the same or similar purposes. The solutions must address the entire value chain, i.e. packaging design (specification of plastic packaging for a product group, which can be recycled in closed loops), collection, fine sorting, and recycling.
Fisheries and aquaculture
Vision
Plastic is a suitable material for equipment in fisheries and aquaculture and is used in large quantities. This plastic usage has known negative environmental consequences, including being a significant source of plastic litter in Norway. The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund aims to contribute to reducing plastic usage in these industries through smarter design, which requires less plastic or increases lifespan.
In this industry, support can only be applied for projects that contribute to:
1. Extending the lifespan of products made of plastic, for example through:
- Reuse and/or repair
- The equipment is designed and used in a way that causes less wear.
2. Smart design of new equipment that enables the use of less plastic
Textiles
Vision
Textiles contain on average more than 50% plastic. The EU's goal for textiles is to ensure that all products on the market are durable, repairable, recyclable, free of hazardous substances, and produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. "Fast fashion" is to be phased out in favor of textiles with an acceptable price and high quality, with profitable reuse and repair services widely available.
The Norwegian value chain for textiles is far from this goal and there is a need for a significant transformation of both business models and consumer habits. The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund aims to contribute to this transformation.
In this industry, it is therefore only possible to apply for funding for projects that contribute to less plastic through solutions and knowledge that reduce the need to produce new textiles:
- Projects that prolong the life of textiles, especially workwear
- Repair services: The applicant must demonstrate that a grant allocation will contribute to a significant volume of textiles being repaired
- Solutions that encourage fewer collections per year through better design and smarter solutions for consumers
- Projects that help provide the retail sector with increased knowledge about the environmental impact of replacing plastics with other materials in textiles.
Funding cannot be applied for
- Projects that do not align with the priorities of the call for applications
- Projects where the applicant has ongoing projects funded by the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, and that submit the final report after the application deadline of October 11.
- Pure operations:
- Development and testing of solutions and technology can be funded, but not the operation of the solution once it has been fully developed.
- Plastic management in established waste and recycling streams
- Measures and activities that have been completed before the date of any potential grant allocation
Requirements to apply
- The applicant must have an organization number and be registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre or a similar international register, such as a Company Registration Number (CRN) or an equivalent number confirming the existence of the business.
- The business and contact persons must be registered in the project portal.
- The application must be submitted through the project portal.
- Economy (more information here):
- Rules for hourly rates in the calculation of project expenses
- Audit, including threshold amounts and guidance for the applicant's auditor
- The applicant must provide realistic budgets and describe how the funds will be utilized.
- Requirement for additional funding: At least 50% of total project costs.
- By additional funding is meant own hours or funds, private investors, and public or private support schemes such as Innovation Norway and the Sparebank Foundation. It will be viewed positively if the applicant contributes own funds instead of relying solely on external financing.
- The application must be written in Norwegian or English.
- Any previous agreements with the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund must be adhered to.
- If at least one of the points below applies to the project, the application form will require the applicant to answer additional questions:
- The funding requested is greater than 5 million NOK.
- The country is listed in the EU Sanctions Map. Support cannot be applied for projects in countries listed on the EU/UN sanctions list unless it can be documented through an extended self-declaration that the project's funds, for example, do not go to sanctioned persons.
- The country is mentioned in the Norwegian authorities' table Current sanctions and measures.
- The country has a score lower than 40 in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
Reporting and Economy
Applicant's Duties
The applicant is the project owner. The application may include other businesses as project partners. Granted funds are only disbursed to the project owner, with whom the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund enters into a project agreement. The project owner is responsible for further payments to any subcontractors, for executing the project according to the application, and for reporting to the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund.
Reporting
- The grant recipient must submit a brief status report before each project disbursement.
- Multi-year projects must submit an annual report.
- All grant recipients must submit a final report after the project is completed.
- All reporting is done in the project portal.
Accounts and Audit
- All projects must submit project accounts for the entire project period as part of the final reporting.
- For grants over NOK 350,000 up to and including NOK 1 million, the recipient's auditor must verify the project accounts by issuing a statement in accordance with ISRS 4400 Agreed-upon Procedures. See the guide for more information.
- For grants over NOK 1 million, the recipient's auditor must verify the project accounts for the entire project period through a regular audit in accordance with ISA 805. See the guide for more information.
- Costs associated with the use of an auditor are incurred by the project and must be budgeted for in the application.
Grant Allocations and VAT
- Support from the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund can be used as co-financing in applications to other support schemes.
- Support from the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund includes any fees, including VAT. The funds are awarded as a gift.
- The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund considers that grant allocations are normally not subject to VAT, but it is the recipient's responsibility to ensure that the VAT regulations are complied with, so this must be determined by the recipient independently. The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund cannot be invoiced or otherwise charged for additional costs in cases where the applicant has misinterpreted the VAT regulations in their application for support. The applicant must clarify with their own auditor whether a grant allocation will be subject to VAT or not.
Processing of the application
The Application is Processed Confidentially
The processing of the application follows a strict impartiality and confidentiality declaration. Read the declarations here. Note that the information in the application may be shared confidentially with other funding actors (such as Innovation Norway and Sparebankstiftelsen) during the application processing where relevant. This ensures good and efficient processing, as well as appropriate use of funds.
Selected experts from HMF's Expert Committee and Board may access the application during evaluation and board processing. In the application form, applicants can specify the names of individuals and businesses they believe are disqualified, thus should not have access to the application.
Procedure for Application Processing
- Evaluation of draft application: At least two employees of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund review the application. Once the administrative decision is made, the applicant will receive a response, either a rejection or an invitation to submit a full application.
- Evaluation of full applications: At least two employees of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund review the application. In addition, external experts with relevant knowledge are utilized:
- Applications over NOK 500,000 up to NOK 1 million: At least one external expert reviews the application.
- Applications over NOK 1 million: At least two external experts review the application.
- Decision: The administration of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund compiles its own and the external experts' assessments and presents recommended allocations to the board, which makes the final decision.
If there is a need for clarifications after the application has been assessed, the applicant may be invited to an online meeting.
Evaluation Criteria
The application will be evaluated based on four criteria, all of which are equally weighted on a scale from 1–7:
- Project Quality:
The quality of the proposed measures, activities, and methods. The extent to which the proposed work is ambitious and innovative, realistic, and well-founded in knowledge and experience. - Environmental Impact:
The potential to reduce the negative environmental effects of plastic in the short and long term. The extent to which the project can deliver good solutions and effects. Plans for disseminating results, knowledge, and concrete solutions developed in the project. - Implementation:
The quality of the project's organization, management, and resource use. The extent to which the project is well-organized, with the right expertise in the project group and partners. - Scientific Priorities:
The extent to which the project responds to the call's scientific priorities.
Some Projects May Be Subject to Extra Thorough Review
This applies to applications for more than NOK 5 million and selected projects that, according to the assessment of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, require a more thorough review.
In such cases, the applicant must present the project, and the case processors and experts will have the opportunity to ask questions about the application and the project.
Do you have questions?
- For questions about eApply: Contact Borghild Storaas at borghild@handelensmiljofond.no
- For questions about the call for applications: Contact Synnøve Fagerhaug Dalen at synnove@handelensmiljofond.no
