Single-use plastics (SUPs) remain one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, particularly in sectors with high consumption and disposal rates, such as the hospitality and food services industries. Despite growing regulatory pressures and consumer awareness, the transition to circular solutions is slow due to systemlevel constraints, limited innovation uptake, and a lack of cross-sector collaboration. Plastic producers and HORECA businesses in Albania are at the heart of this challenge and strategically positioned to lead impactful and circular solutions. The SUP2LOOP project aims to drive a systemic reduction of single-use plastics (SUPs) by promoting sustainable alternatives, fostering circular thinking within business practices, and strengthening an innovation ecosystem that aligns with circular economy principles, reduces plastic waste, and unlocks new value chains.
What is the SUP2Loop Green Innovation Challenge Call for Proposals
The Green Innovation Challenge Call for Proposals is a grant scheme for the GIZ project EU 4 Circular Economy and Livable Cities. Its main objective is to identify, support, and fund innovative green solutions that tackle SUP. The SUP2Loop Green Innovation Challenge Fund provides applicants with grant funding to overcome the uncertainties that inhibit innovation, research, and development. The assumption is that without challenge-fund support, such activities are either unlikely to happen or will occur at a later stage, with reduced developmental effects. The funding is provided by the “EU for Circular Economy and Livable Cities” project. The latter is cofinanced by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ Albania in partnership with the Ministry of Environment. Innovation, according to OECD is defined as “a new or improved product or process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the unit’s previous products or processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or brought into use by the unit (process)”. The aim is to encourage private sector participation by offering technical support and grants that help businesses transition toward more sustainable and waste-friendly practices. The call is open to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and large companies to submit projects focused on developing innovative solutions for the prevention, reduction, reuse and recycling of single-use plastic waste (as per EU Directive 2019/904).
Apply here: SUP2LOOP Green Innovation Challenge
We are pioneering this initiative through the EU for Circular Economy and Livable Cities project (EU4CELC), co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ Albania in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment (MoE). The EU4CELC project aims to facilitate Albania’s transition to a circular economy, empower municipalities to create livable cities for the future, and contribute to improved citizens’ health, green job creation, and enhanced energy efficiency.
For any inquiries or additional information, kindly contact
info@circularhub.al
milieukontakt.al@gmail.com
