AREFLH is a partner on the WASTE4SOIL project “Turning food waste into sustainable soil improvers for better soil health and improved food system”. It aims at developing applicable recycling technical pathways to transform Food Processing Residues (FPR) into improvers, through a circular, system, and multi-actor approach. All food chain actors are involved at the regional level, thereby closing specific loops (nutrients, organic matter, water).
Waste4Soil is deploying 7 Living Labs in Europe. One of them is based in the Päijät-Häme region of Southern Finland, a dynamic area made up of 10 municipalities. This region is rapidly becoming a pioneering testbed for innovation at the crossroads of agri-food systems, organic waste valorisation, and soil restoration.
Led by LAB University of Applied Sciences, the Finnish Living Lab is focused on unlocking the potential of two significant food processing residues:
- grain
- and fish
Through close collaboration with local stakeholders, the Lab is developing and testing solutions to transform these residues into high-quality soil improvers, supporting more sustainable and circular land use practices.
Why Päijät-Häme?
Päijät-Häme is a regional hub for agriculture and food processing, backed by a strong culture of environmental innovation and cooperation. The Living Lab builds on this foundation by connecting scientific research with real-world practices — creating value from materials that would otherwise be lost.7
Turning Waste into Opportunity
The Päijät-Häme Living Lab reflects the Waste4Soil vision by:
- Restoring soil health
- Reducing environmental impact
- Closing nutrient loops
- Building resilient and regenerative agri-food systems
This initiative showcases how place-based innovation, circular thinking, and stakeholder engagement can deliver practical solutions to today’s climate and soil challenges.
To know more, watch the video showcasing the Finish Living Lab's research and field trials:
Know more about Waste4Soil
- www.waste4soil.eu
- Subscribe to the newsletter
-
Twitter @Waste4Soil
-
LinkedIn : Waste4Soil Project
- Access all AREFLH articles on the project
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement Nr. 101112708.
- Created on .