Together for sustainable plastic use

What is plastic contract?

Plastic contracts are collaborations where companies, authorities and organisations can agree on common objective and commitments to make plastic use more sustainable. The idea is that actors in different parts of the value chain can work towards the same objective, for example increasing recycling, reducing the use of certain products or replacing fossil plastics with bio-based raw materials.

Watch the film where Åsa Stenmarck, responsible for National Plastics Coordination at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, tells more about what plastic contracts are and how they can contribute to more sustainable plastic use.

Who is behind the initiative?

Together with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Vinnova is running a collaboration with the express purpose of supporting and driving the transition to a more sustainable use of plastics.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is the coordinating public authority for National Plastics Coordination, which aims to use plastic in the right places and in a way that is resource-efficient, circular, non-toxic and climate-smart, with as little leakage as possible.

National Plastics Coordination at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Other partners in this work are the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas, Svenskt Vatten, BioInnovation and RESource.

Seven project show the way towards circular plastic use

Genom Vinnovas call for proposals Plastic contracts for sustainable plastic use have seven project received funding. Together, they will lay the foundation for future plastic contracts and drive the development towards more circular and resource-efficient plastic flows.

The projects represent a broad effort to develop new ways to use, recycle and reuse plastic in various sectors, from packaging and food distribution to the energy and construction industries.

Meet three of the projects who tell us what they want to achieve

All project that have received funding

Re:Serve – from disposable to reusable

The project aims to replace single-use packaging in public catering kitchens with reusable vacuum boxes. The goal is to develop a circular system for collection, cleaning and reuse that reduces waste, carbon emissions and microplastic leakage.
More about the project Re:Serve

Re:net

The project focuses on building a functioning system for the collection and recycling of plastic from fishing gear. The aim is to increase material recycling and reduce the amount of plastic ending up in the ocean through joint commitments and collaboration across the value chain.
More about the project Re:net

Circular and non-toxic recycling of plastic from cables

The project develops methods for recycling cable plastic, which is currently classified as hazardous waste. The goal is to enable non-toxic and circular management through technical solutions, improved sorting and policy development so that more cable plastic can be recycled with high quality.
More about the project Circular and non-toxic recycling of plastic from cable

Cork to Cork

The project aims to demonstrate that corks from the Swedish deposit system can be recycled into new food corks. The work includes investigation of chemical safety, purification processes and EU eligibility requirements to enable recycling in the food sector and reduce the need for new plastic.
More about the project Cork to Cork

PackLOOP

The project brings together packaging industry actors to create closed material loops for plastic packaging from businesses. It will develop a shared vision and test models for an innovative take-back system that makes recycling more efficient and large-scale.
More about the PackLOOP project

ReBladeNet

The project develops joint solutions for recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades made of fiberglass composite. It will increase recycling rates, reduce the amount of composite that goes to incineration, and lay the foundation for a plastics contract that defines responsibility and objective throughout the value chain.
More about the ReBladeNet project

Compobuilding 360

The project maps composite waste from the construction and civil engineering sector and identifies barriers and opportunities for circular solutions. The goal is to develop a basis for a plastics contract that shows how the construction sector can reduce waste and create new business models for recycling plastic composites.
More about the project Kompobygg 360

More about the call for proposals

Plastic contract for sustainable plastic use

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