Regional dissemination event in Lahti on 5th of February for CITISYSTEM project

A total of 36 participants attended from the city, local higher education institutions, schools and educational institutions, local waste management, and catering services companies as well as from the parish and food aid organizations.

The event began with a keynote speech by Juha-Matti Katajajuuri from the Natural Resources Institute Finland, focusing on the EU and national goals of reducing food waste and its environmental impacts. Project Manager Katerina Medkova from LAB University of Applied Sciences and the City of Lahti’s Environmental Coordinator Jenni Rahkonen presented the CITISYSTEM project, which promotes the biocircular economy, as well as a project pilot aimed at developing waste sorting in Lahti schools. Policy changes advanced through the project were also highlighted.

Toni Kranttila from local waste management company Salpakierto provided an update on the separate collection of biowaste, and Sari Teräsheimo from Operation Open Door explained how the voluntary organization’s food aid activities have helped reduce food waste. Continuing with the circular economy theme, Salpakierto’s environmental educator Satu Kaarla and the City of Lahti’s Project Manager Taru Suutari presented the environmental education programme launched in basic education last autumn, as well as a circular economy learning module for fourth-grade pupils.

Alexandra Maksheeva, RDI Specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences, gathered participants’ perspectives on the most significant challenges of the biocircular economy using am interactive survey. She also presented good practices collected during the project, both from Lahti and from other project partner cities and regions.