Riihimäki, glass art © Tapio Aulu
Riihimäki is a municipality of some 30,000 residents in the Tavastia Proper region. It is located along national road 3 and the main railway track, less than an hour from Helsinki. Among other things, it is known for its railway links, glass and vibrant culture. Riihimäki’s urban structure is dense and unbroken with short distances to any place you might want to go.
What has already been done in Riihimäki to promote the circular economy?
Riihimäki is home to the oldest recycling center in Finland. It was established in October 1989. In recent years, the operations have been developed in a variety of ways, dramatically increasing the customer numbers and the volume of items brought in for recycling.
The construction of the environmental system was initiated in 1998, and the first pertinent environmental policy was approved by the City Council in 1999. The environmental policy and the environmental system cover the operations of the entire city organization (incl. affiliates). Since the year 2000, the City of Riihimäki has submitted an annual environmental report to the City Council on the implementation of the environmental policy and the achievement of the relevant goals.
A circular economy cluster has taken shape in Riihimäki, alongside related expertise, which will be strengthened and developed going forward.
Goals as a pioneering municipality
The vision is to leverage the dense urban structure and strong competence in areas surrounding the circular economy to help Riihimäki work towards becoming the city with the smallest carbon footprint. Riihimäki’s circular economy cluster is being developed and expanded. Expertise related to the circular economy and projects that promote it are being developed in cooperation with educational institutes, businesses and other operators.
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