Finland introduces national materials efficiency programme to boost economic growth

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The Government of Finland has launched a national programme that is designed to transform the country’s materials efficiency and boost economic growth.

Its materials efficiency programme’s objective is to create preconditions for ecologically sustainable growth and employment, to promote competitiveness and balanced operational preconditions for business, to utilise non-renewable natural resources in a sustainable manner and to promote the production of high value added products based on strong knowledge and skills.

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Finland produces paper for more than 100 million people around the world and part of the aim of the strategy is that more bio-energy will be used in this process as well as using the waste for energy.

The Finnish Government also plans to develop a research and development programme that will make it easier to introduce new technologies, to implement reference and experimental facilities rapidly and to utilise waste and industrial secondary flows in a sustainable way.

Companies will be encouraged to enter a material efficiency contract with the Government under a proposed trial. While a fixed-term material review project will take place to encourage companies to clarify the flow of materials and to recognise possibilities for greater efficiencies.

It also plants to end the use of landfill in the country and introduce product planning so that the lifecycle of a product is fully understood.

Finland is also calling on the European Union to introduce stronger measures on materials and resource efficiency.