IFC Circularity Plus Initiative

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-11 12:58

IFC has committed over $1B to circular economy projects. Circularity Plus accelerates investment-ready industrial plastic circularity, focusing on waste-to-value solutions, recycling, and sustainable manufacturing with advisory services.

Source: https://www.ifc.org/en/what-we-do/sector-expertise/infrastructure/waste-management/ifc-circularity-plus

Funding Details

Funder

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Funding Goal

Accelerate the transition to a circular economy by supporting private waste management companies and municipalities with integrated investment, advisory, and networking solutions to harness resource value in waste and reduce environmental impacts in developing countries.

Funding Amount

No fixed amounts disclosed; IFC has committed over $1 billion to circular economy projects. Individual investment sizes vary by project; financing instruments include debt, equity, mezzanine, and concessional finance.

How to Apply

Contact IFC directly through the Circularity Plus team. Formal financing applications can be initiated via IFC's "Apply for Financing" portal (ifc.org). Initial engagement is typically through the program contacts listed on the page.

Target Region

Global, with primary focus on developing countries across Africa, East Asia & Pacific, Europe (emerging), Latin America, Middle East & Central Asia, South Asia

Contact

Nuru Lama, Global Lead for Waste and Circularity: NLama@ifc.org | Nadine Ghannam, Senior Communications Officer, Global Infrastructure (Washington D.C.): nsghannam@ifc.org, +1 (202) 473-3011 | General Inquiries: disclosures.ifc.org/inquiries

Last Checked

2026-03-11 15:59

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a private-sector waste management company or municipality — non-profit organizations are not the primary target audience
• Operations must be located in IFC-eligible developing or emerging-market countries

Project Scope

• Project must be investment-ready or near investment-ready; grants are not available — financing is through debt, equity, or concessional instruments
• Project scope must fall within one of the four focus areas: integrated waste management, energy recovery from waste, recycling infrastructure, or new circular revenue streams (including plastic credits)
• Plastic recycling and e-waste recycling projects are eligible under the current advisory engagement areas

Required Documents

• Prepare a business/investment plan demonstrating commercial viability and development impact

Constraints

• IFC mandates environmental and social due diligence under its Performance Standards — applicants must demonstrate compliance capacity
• Advisory services are available as a complement to investment; standalone advisory-only engagements may be limited

Summary

IFC Circularity Plus is an initiative of the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) that supports private-sector actors and municipalities in developing countries to implement waste-to-value solutions. With IFC having committed over $1 billion to circular economy projects globally, the platform combines investment financing, customized advisory services, and access to a global knowledge network. It addresses the global waste crisis — over 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste generated annually — and the disproportionate impact on developing countries where waste often ends up in open dumps. The initiative focuses on four core areas: integrated waste management services (collection, sorting, safe disposal), energy recovery from waste (RDF, biogas, landfill gas), efficient recycling infrastructure (material recovery facilities, urban mining), and new revenue streams from circularity (carbon credits, plastic credits, extended producer responsibility). Current advisory engagements include accelerating plastic and e-waste recycling, harnessing organic waste via bioconversion, and enabling access to carbon credit markets. The financing toolkit available through Circularity Plus includes green, blue, and sustainability-linked debt; local currency financing; equity; mezzanine instruments; risk mitigation; and concessional finance. Advisory services provide technical expertise on markets, regulation, technology innovation, and carbon markets. Members also gain exclusive access to a global network for knowledge sharing and best practices. Select existing investments include waste management companies in Poland, Brazil, Vietnam, Serbia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and the Middle East/Africa, illustrating a broad geographic mandate focused on emerging and developing markets. Financial support comes from FIAS and the Government of Japan.

Historical Context

IFC has committed over $1 billion to circular economy projects to date. Select investments include Eneris (Poland, 2025), TWM Group (Papua New Guinea, 2025), Greenback (Mexico, 2024), Orizon (Brazil), Averda (Middle East and Africa), T&J Green (Vietnam), Elemental Holding (Poland), and Beo Čista Energija (Serbia). Financial support has come from FIAS and the Government of Japan.

Why it was added

IFC $1B+ commitment to circular economy with specific plastic circularity focus

Similar Programs

← Back to list