Welcome to the BalticReed project materials section. In this section you can find useful materials related to the project.
The Kick-off for the project was held in Helsinki on 19 September 2023. Please find links to the presentations and the major part of the recorded event including the panel discussion.
Examples of reed utilizaztion:
Local Reed Utilization chains (Patricia Wiklund, Invenire Åland)
Building with reed and lightclay (Johanna Hyrkäs, Aalto University, Finland)
Insulation plates for apartment buildings (Stalk-project, Finland)
On February 7th 2024, the Baltic Reed project invited the public to an event in Stockholm. Seminar dealt with the potential of developing reed-based value chains.
Abundant reed growth along the Baltic Sea coasts offers significant potential. Today, much of the harvested reed remains unused, leaving marine biomass nutrients untapped. By utilizing harvested reed, we can close this loop and create promising value chains, including biogas, soil improvement, straws, and disposable plates.
Watch the recording from the event and see the presentations from the day on Race for the Baltic’s website!
The event was organized for students of Arcada and Hanken school of economics, as a part of their courses in circular economy.
During the day, students heard inspiring talks by researchers and companies about reed as material and reed-based products. After the presentations, the students continued with workshops to create their own solutions for using reed according to a circular economy model. The event was hosted by Patricia Wiklund from Invenire, who led the students’ groupwork. Teachers from Arcada and Hanken were also guiding the students.
Links to the presentations and the recording of the event:
Hackathon quest lectures, program
Common Reed (Phragmites australis) and the Baltic Sea, An Overview (Margo Williamson, University of Helsinki)
From waste to value. Sustainable polymers to replace fossil raw materials (Lari Vähäsalo, CH Bioforce)
Biopolymers upcycled from wood residues (Antti Kämäräinen, Boreal Bioproducts)
The development of reed-starch board in Stalk project (Tampere University, Mikael Westermarck)
SUTU, Made from Reed (Ailet Õis-Saar, SUTU)
The roundtable focused on the use of reed as a sustainable alternative in soil production. The day brought together diverse stakeholders from the entire value chain, including experts, industry leaders, harvesters and entrepreneurs, who shared insights, experiences, and strategies for advancing sustainable soil production.
Links to the presentations:
Reed for soil production / Hasselfors Garden
Introduction / Race for the Baltic & Ax Foundation
Common reed as growing media / Kiteen mato ja multa
Reed soil production – opportunities / Torleif Bramryd, Lund University
The workshop focused on product development using reed as a raw material, highlighting both traditional and innovative products. Participants, including harvesters, researchers, innovators, and financers, discussed the current applications of reed and explored global trends such as biodegradability and reusability. The event also reviewed the project’s first-year progress and explored how new innovations can be applied, ending with a discussion on connecting startups and investors.
Links to the presentations:
Agenda: From innovation to product
From Idea to Impact: Turning Innovation into a Market Ready Product. John-Zerihoun from RAWS
Introduction to BalticReed and Reed products. Anil Ramel Singh from Race for the Baltic
Research, innovation and BalticReed. Paula Linderbäck from Arcada University of Applied Sciences
What do financers look for in a product? Peter Wiwen Nilsson from Race for the Baltic
Can Innovation save the baltic sea? Alina Sippolainen from A’Pelago
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