Dutch €40 Million Subsidy Drives Strong Interest in Plastic Recycling Innovation
The Hague, Saturday 11 April 2026
With 53% of Dutch plastic waste still incinerated, a new €40 million subsidy is drawing massive interest from innovators eager to scale up vital recycling technologies.
Accelerating the Dutch Circular Transition
The transition towards a circular economy in the Netherlands is receiving a substantial financial injection. Under the National Growth Fund, Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) has launched its 2026 Open Call, published in the Staatscourant on 3 April 2026 [1]. To combat the heavy reliance on incineration—which claimed 53% of the more than one million tonnes of plastic waste collected in 2022—the CPNL programme, running from 2023 until 2031, is offering €40 million to foster innovation and scale up recycling technologies for plastics, textiles, and rubber [1]. Applications will be accepted via the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) from 21 April through 6 October 2026 [1].
The funding is strategically divided to support different stages of technological maturity. Research projects can secure up to €1.5 million, while larger-scale showcases operating at a pilot or demonstration level are eligible for up to €7.5 million [1]. These investments target eight specific areas, including automated textile sorting, mechanical recycling, dissolution, depolymerisation, and devulcanisation [1]. This financial scaffolding is crucial for the Benelux region’s major chemical clusters, such as Chemelot, Rotterdam, and Antwerp, which are increasingly pivoting towards sustainable chemistry, circular feedstock integration, and green hydrogen applications to decarbonise their industrial processes [GPT].
Consortium Building and the Global Imperative
To guide potential applicants, CPNL and RVO recently hosted an initial webinar on 9 April 2026, which saw robust interest from both the corporate and academic sectors [1]. Additional webinars are scheduled for next week on 14 and 16 April 2026 to detail the regulatory framework and application requirements [1]. Furthermore, a dedicated CPNL Open Call Day will take place on 19 May 2026