Plastics Innovation Challenge

Plastics Innovation Challenge
Funding
Events & Webinars

About the Plastics Innovation Challenge

The Plastics Innovations Challenge will focus resources from across the U.S. Department of Energy to create a comprehensive program to accelerate innovations that will dramatically reduce plastic waste in oceans and landfills and position the U.S as global leaders in advanced plastics recycling technologies and in the manufacture of new plastics that are recyclable by design. The Plastics Innovation Challenge will draw on both fundamental and applied research capabilities within National Labs, universities and industry.

Using a coordinated suite of funding opportunities, critical partnerships, and other programs, the Plastics Innovation Challenge sets the following goals for the United States to reach by 2030:                                                                                                               

 

Goal 1: Develop collection technologies to prevent plastics from entering waterways or facilitate its removal
Goal 2: Develop biological and chemical methods for deconstructing plastic wastes into useful chemicals
Goal 3: Develop technologies to upcycle waste chemical streams into higher value products, encouraging increased recycling
Goal 4: Develop new plastics that are recyclable by design and can be scaled for domestic manufacturability
Goal 5: Support a domestic plastics upcycling supply chain by helping companies scale and deploy new technologies in domestic and global markets

Recent News

Clean Blue Oceans and a Green and Growing Economy
DOE celebrates National Ocean Month
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U.S. Energy Department and American Chemistry Council Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Collaborate on Innovative Plastics Recycling Te...
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
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EERE Issues Funding Opportunity Announcement for Phase I Innovation Projects
DOE issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement for approximately $40 million in Phase I innovation projects for FY2020.
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New Notice of Intent for Joint Funding Opportunity to Advance DOE’s Plastics Innovation Challenge
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has published a notice of intent to issue a joint Funding...
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Department of Energy Launches Plastics Innovation Challenge
Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the launch of the Plastics Innovation Challenge.
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Energy Department Manufacturing Institute Announces Call for Proposals to Address Challenges in Plastics Recycling
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $12 million funding opportunity for new projects to support research and development...
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The Plastics Innovation Challenge is managed by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with funding from EERE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and Advanced Manufacturing Office.