The money is intended to help researchers develop recycling systems that can cope with rising volumes of recyclable materials and enable academics to analyse how package design impacts consumer behaviour.
UKRI hopes such research could help businesses design and produce greener packaging that still appeals to consumers.
The first competition called ‘Enabling Research’ aims to promote academic-led research, and will welcome significant industry participation and co-investment.
The second competition, which was opened on Monday January 13 (see letsrecycle.com story) is for early-stage business led projects in smart and sustainable plastic packaging.
Proposals which will be considered for the funding include those which “help make the plastics packaging supply chain more circular”, contribute to the UK Plastics Pact, and “improve on current state-of-the-art plastic packaging, while still demonstrating practical and close-to-market solutions”
Chris Skidmore, science minister, said: “We have reached a critical point when it comes to saving our planet from the plague of plastic pollution.
“Tackling climate change is this government’s priority and we were the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050.
“The UKRI competitions will help further the development of greener plastics that are safe, clean and recyclable, transforming plastic packaging and production now and far into the future.”
Investment in resource efficient and environmentally friendly products is part of the government’s commitment to boost research and development spending to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
SSPP
The funding forms part of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging programme (SSPP), a £60 million fund announced by the government in 2018 to tackle plastic waste (see letsrecycle.com story).
“We have reached a critical point when it comes to saving our planet from plastic pollution”
This will be complemented by £149m from industry, according to SSPP.
The SSPP aims to deliver cleaner growth across the supply chain and a dramatic reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2025.
Paul Davidson, challenge director of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge, said: “Plastic is a major part of our lives and as we all become greener, the calls to move away from plastic to preserve the planet have become louder.
“Our challenge and the government’s strategy for clean growth offers an alternative.We will seek ways to ensure continued use of safe, clean and easily-recyclable plastic.”
Applications can be made here.
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