Businesses in Gloucestershire can apply for a share in a fund to explore new ideas and innovations to bring change to the UK's plastics manufacturing and consumption patterns.

The £20 million Plastics Research and Innovation Fund (PRIF) engages Britain's best scientists and innovators to help move the country towards a more sustainable approach to plastics.

It is managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and delivered via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). 

The fund has three parts which involve:

• Leadership and knowledge exchange - £2 million
• Research: Plastics 'creativity' funding - £8 million
• Business led research and development: Plastics 'innovation' funding - £10 million

The fund seeks to deliver strategic networking and research that will coordinate existing knowledge across the UK, bringing new ideas and rapid solutions through research and innovation landscape. It will support the polymer, packaging, retail and waste sectors, as well as local councils responsible for waste collection.

UKRI is helping the UK work towards a zero plastic waste solution.