In the framework of the CIRCWASTE project, coordinated by SYKE (Finnish Environment Institute), pioneering municipalities have developed local circular economy roadmaps in 2019.

The town of Riihimäki is already a member of FISU (Finnish Sustainable Communities), a network of Finnish municipalities committed to becoming waste-free, and has now adopted a circular economy roadmap focusing on the participation of local actors.

In 2017, the local authorities asked the 29,000 inhabitants of this town what sustainable choices they would be ready to make and how the municipal council could best enable these. Inhabitants also contributed ideas to develop the resource efficiency of Riihimäki.

The circular economy and resource efficiency roadmap of Riihimäki covers five themes:

1. Carbon neutral energy production and consumption
2. Sustainable circulation and ecologically efficient town structure
3. Sustainable consumption of natural resources and circular economy
4. Diversity of nature and comfortable living environment
5. Inhabitant responsibility in Riihimäki.

Every one of these themes is dealt with by taking into account the following points of view:

1. Vision for 2050
2. Methods of working: who realises the vision
3. Actions, ideas, commitments and promises
4. Measures and indicators for monitoring and follow-up.

In addition to municipal actions, the Riihimäki roadmap also includes commitments to circular economy by local companies and communities. The roadmap also accentuates the education of students and recent graduates with the aim of incorporating the circular economy into all professional fields.

As cooperation is central to circular economym, the Riihimäki roadmap’s guiding principle is to increase cooperation between different communities and companies. The aim is to share good practice by developing a cluster that will monitor how companies are progressing and promote circular economy cooperation.