This cascade funding opportunity under Horizon Europe aims to enable regions to design and trial circular/zero‑waste measures that prevent plastic leakage to rivers and seas. It will also replicate the prevention solutions devised by the UPSTREAM project. Running until September 2027, UPSTREAM addresses the challenges associated with monitoring, preventing, eliminating and recycling litter, plastics and microplastics and will showcase 14 solutions.

The call focuses on substitution & procurement pilot schemes; zero‑waste supply chain measures; behaviour‑change and producer responsibility pilot schemes; enabling policies; and monitoring impacts.

Projects must support UPSTREAM objectives through:

• Monitoring & digitalisation of plastics/microplastics in rivers 
• Prevention & zero‑waste measures, e.g., substitution with bio‑based/biodegradable alternatives
• Removal/collection & recovery of litter, plastics and microplastics in freshwater systems
• Recycling/valorisation pilots for captured plastics 
• Nature‑based solutions & restoration in riparian and urban water systems
• Citizen science & co‑creation, e.g., living labs, behaviour‑change campaigns
• Open data & knowledge sharing with UPSTREAM’s platforms.

The call is open to regional and local public authorities (or directly‑representing bodies) from EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe, excluding countries or regions which have already benefited from UPSTREAM (UK, Spain, Germany, Italy) or the INSPIRE project (see the list here).

Two projects will be selected, each receiving a lump‑sum grant of up to EUR 70 000. Each project will take 8 months.

See the details. Deadline: 17:00 CEST on 17 August 2026.