The European project UPSTREAM has officially launched its Open Call 1: Collection & Valorisation, a call aimed at local and regional authorities interested in implementing advanced systems for the collection and valorisation of river waste, including plastics and microplastics, in European rivers and waterways.
This initiative represents a key step in expanding the project’s impact beyond its consortium and moving towards cleaner rivers and more sustainable plastic waste management.
What is UPSTREAM’s Open Call 1 about?
The Open Call 1: Collection & Valorisation offers cascade funding (Financial Support to Third Parties) and technical assistance to support external entities in replicating and scaling innovative solutions that have already been developed or validated within the UPSTREAM project.
The aim is to foster the implementation of pilots in real-life environments, promote the valorisation of river waste, and encourage citizen co-creation as a tool to improve the adoption of these solutions at regional and local level.
Key details
● Funding: up to €70,000 per project (lump sum)
● Focus: real-environment pilots, waste valorisation, and citizen co-creation
● Duration: 6 months
● Submission deadline: 16 March 2026 at 17:00 (CET)
The call is open to new actors interested in contributing to the fight against plastic and microplastic pollution in European rivers.
All information on requirements, eligibility, and the application process is available on the official UPSTREAM website: https://upstream-project.eu/open-call-1-collection-valorisation/
About the UPSTREAM project
The UPSTREAM project, funded under the HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01-04 programme, addresses plastic pollution throughout the entire water pathway: upstream of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), downstream of WWTPs, and within rivers themselves.
The project’s approach combines:
● advanced technical demonstrations,
● analysis of bio-based circular value chains, and
● environmental and economic sustainability assessments,
all with the active involvement of industry, public authorities, and citizens.
UPSTREAM is currently demonstrating 14 to 15 innovative solutions across 7 rivers in 5 European countries, covering activities ranging from monitoring and prevention to plastic removal, in-river extraction, and waste valorisation. The results will enable the development of replicable and scalable business models at European level.
Aitiip’s role in the UPSTREAM project
Aitiip participates in UPSTREAM as the project coordinating entity, leading its administrative management and actively contributing to the development and deployment of innovative solutions.
Its main contributions include:
● the development of biodegradable solutions,
● support for the implementation of the pilot in the Ebro River,
● market studies and identification of exploitable results, and
● project communication and dissemination activities.
With this Open Call, UPSTREAM provides fresh momentum for collaborative innovation, advancing towards pollution-free European rivers and strengthening the transfer and adoption of solutions across different territories.