INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION

Transcription

1 ISWA REPORT INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION Promoting sustainable waste management worldwide

2 ISWA Report 2010 Acknowledgments Editor and responsible for the content: ISWA General Secretariat. Contributing authors: John Ferguson, Jeff Cooper and Jens Aage Hansen provided valuable input and comments. Thanks go also to the Chairs of the ISWA Working Groups and to the Chair of the ISWA Scientific and Technical Committee for their contributions. Consulting regarding sustainability reporting was received from Karl Resel, Denkstatt GmbH. Photos: ISWA General Secretariat. Historical photographs were provided by Zsuzsanna Pfeiffer and Wojciech Rogalski. ISWA the International Solid Waste Association is a global, independent and non-profit making association, working in the public interest to promote and develop sustainable waste management. ISWA has members in more than 60 countries and is the only worldwide association promoting sustainable, comprehensive and professional waste management. The Association is open to individuals and organizations from the scientific community, public institutions and public and private companies from all over the world working in the field of and interested in waste management. Being part of ISWA gives you an unparalleled access to international organizations. Through our Working Groups, we help these international organizations form policy by supplying technical papers and opinions regarding waste practices. ISWA is the only worldwide waste organization, which allows you to net-work with professionals, companies and institutional representatives. 02 This report is printed on recycled paper produced of 100 % recovered fibre, manufactured without optical brightening agents and chlorine bleaching. This report is also available in electronic format on

3 Table of Contents Forewords Over the Waste Hill? ISWA is 40! Mission and Objectives Organizational Structure Promotion of Sustainable Waste Management Congresses and Conferences Scientific and Technical Committee Working Groups Projects 2009/ White Paper on Waste and Climate Change Knowledge Base TAP Centre Globalization and Waste Management Publications International Waste Manager Program Awards Environment Financial Overview National Members Gold Members Sponsors About the report

4 President s Message Fortunately, in the year we are celebrating our 40th anniversary, we can assure that a new era has started in ISWA. Its birth date was the day we celebrated our anniversary and opened our new offices in Vienna. That same day the transition process was concluded. From our comfortable and centrally located offices, a competent team, conducted by our Managing Director, now covers all the technical and administrative tasks to provide the appropriate support to all our members, working groups and the implementation of our Multi Annual Plan. We wish to express our gratitude to all those people who made possible reaching the end of the process successfully, and we have to renew our gratitude to the City of Vienna for the decision of being our host and to the members of ISWA Austria for their effort, determination and patience to achieve this. Solid waste is a global issue but solutions are local. We must be leaders in the society transformation process to respond to the two main challenges of this time: the reduction of carbon concentration in the atmosphere and the creation of a circular economy aiming at an efficient use of resources and non-generation of waste. What have we done in 2010 to respond to such demanding strategic objectives? Let me just point out a few highlights: The creation of the European Union subgroup within the ISWA Board and its first meeting with representatives of the Environment Commissioner of the EU, to set a common agenda. The creation of the Training, Advisory and Promotion (TAP Center), a key piece to guarantee proper development of sound solid waste management practices in the Asia Pacific region. Joint work with Environment Protection Agency of the United States (US EPA) and the Methane to Markets initiative in the organization of training courses. The organization of three Beacon Conferences. Conclusively I would like to express special gratitude to the members of ISWA Board of Directors for their permanent support and for their predisposition to sort differences when they arose and for sharing this passion for ISWA. I would also like to express my deep trust in the capacity of our Managing Director and all his collaborators, each of them with his/her clear responsibilities to successfully undertake our work plan. Lastly, I would like to express my respect to all National Members since they are the source of ISWA raison d être and they are the ones indicated by our Statutes and Internal Regulations so that through their active participation, daily and permanent actions the vision and mission may be promoted. 04 Developed our knowledge base project, where we will gather all our experience and information. Strengthened our Scientific Technical Committee, by coordinating the work programs of the Working Groups with the support of the General Secretariat, intensifying our relationship with Academia, through the invaluable help of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors and Editorial Board of our qualified emblem: The Waste Management and Research Journal. The publication of the White Paper Waste and Climate Change and its distribution, among other addressees, to the delegates of the member countries of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The joint work with Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission Latin American Countries (ECLAC) in waste management issues and climate change. The creation of the Working Group on Climate Change. Best regards Dr. Atilio Savino

5 Managing Director s Message For the ISWA General Secretariat the year 2010 has been an eventful period with an extensive workload. In February we moved into our new, nicely renovated office in the heart of Vienna. In the following months the new team, with the best available expertise in their different areas started their work, activities and projects with high motivation. Furthermore a reorganization of the General Secretariat was implemented: With a revised, well-considered slim structure and clear responsibilities an efficient administration, with best possible member support and expertise has been created. All staff members are now located at the new premises in Vienna. As an outcome of the economic crises the number of memberships and consequently the income from membership fees, has decreased slightly over the last two years. Through member service activities and acquisition measures we were able to convince many members to renew their membership and also gained several new members. Our publications have been quite a success: Since the beginning of 2010 the periodical Waste Management & Research (WM&R) has been issued monthly, instead of bimonthly. This professional journal is well known and sought after. The White Paper on Waste and Climate Change is available in its long version and as a summary; both versions have been recently updated. This comprehensive investigation, which is available in English and Spanish, gives an excellent overview of the contribution of waste management concerning the reduction of green-house gas emissions. produced each year available and accessible in a onestop-shop. We are on the way to providing a comprehensive digital library of best quality, partly for free and partly for members only. This library will cover all relevant topics of solid waste management, cover all countries, and will be updated continuously. Over the next years ISWA faces various challenges and complex projects. To meet all expectations and goals, and to ensure a proper project management, a Multi Annual Plan (MAP) has been created for the time period 2010 until Particularly due to the generous Vienna Grant, we now have more resources available for various activities. And we have to use these resources quite carefully and meanwhile gaining the best possible results. To ensure a proper project implementation a strict and detailed schedule is required. Finally I d like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of you for your cooperation and effort: To the ISWA Board, particularly to the President, whose support and advice I have very much appreciated. And it has been a pleasure for me to work together with the new team, who have really taken up their responsibilities and worked very hard to cope with the heavy workload. Furthermore I want to thank the sponsors of the ISWA Report, with their contribution we were able to produce this more extensive and more comprehensive issue. We also implemented a series of projects; and here I would like to highlight two of the major ones: ISWA inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) and the National Environment Agency (NEA), to establish and run a Training, Advisory & Promotion (TAP) Centre for waste management in Singapore. Through this agreement, the three partners demonstrate their commitment of promoting sustainable waste management and optimizing the value of waste as a resource in the Asia Pacific region with an emphasis on Singapore, China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. The project Knowledge Base aims to upgrade ISWA s technical profile and deliver ability to its members making all of the technical and scientific documents that are Best regards Hermann Koller 05

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7 1. Over the Waste Hill? ISWA is 40! This year ISWA celebrates its 40th anniversary. But with 14 presidencies, hundreds of conferences, publications and projects since its foundation in 1970, ISWA doesn t seem to have reached its climax and be heading over the hill. On the contrary: looking at the current situation, prospects and conditions respectively the activity of the members, the commitment of the functionaries, the quality of the staff, the financial situation, the international reputation and networking of the association - it may actually be concluded that ISWA will forge its way steeply uphill in the near future. Another reason for this being that ISWA has been founded on a very solid basis The Farsighted Foundation of ISWA in 1970 Presented by John Ferguson OBE President of ISWA The initial stages of international co-operation Way back in 1928, a meeting was held between the national associations of experts responsible for municipal public cleansing in the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain to agree upon the formation of an international committee of Public Cleansing. The United Kingdom Institute of Public Cleansing as it was entitled in the first decades of the last century and now known as the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management was continually engaged upon the interests of international co-operation. It was involved in the 1928 formation of the international committee. Lewis Herbert in his excellent book, published in 1998, reviewed the history of the UK Institution of Wastes Management over the centuries from 1898 to The first conference of the international committee took place in London in The first President of the International Committee was JC Dawes OBE who had become the first Inspector of Cleansing and Salvage in the UK Ministry of Health in 1919 and written the landmark Dawes Report on London s waste collection and disposal problems in JC Dawes was the President of the UK Institute of Public Cleansing for three terms of office from 1930 to The Committee was renamed as the International Association of Public Cleansing (INTAPUC) in The purpose of INTAPUC was to promote the exchange of ideas and practical knowledge in the field of public cleansing between experts and the national professional associations. Over the following decades, a series of conferences were held in major European cities to increase international co-operation. Mr. J Sumner OBE, a Fellow and Past President of then named UK Institute of Public Cleansing took an enthusiastic part in the moves in the 1960 s towards the formation of ISWA in In 1967, INTAPUC convened their conference in Paris at which Mr. Sumner presented an international survey on the storage and collection of refuse in which returns from seventeen countries exemplified the range of average waste production per week from families in countries in Europe, Canada and the United States. The average production of waste per week from a family of three persons averaged generally between 11 and 17 kg. Meanwhile, in a decade earlier, a major event took place in Switzerland in A small group of experienced waste management specialists, based in Europe, and convened at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology discussed topical problems in waste disposal and the choice of processes such as incineration, composting and sanitary landfill. The outcome of the meeting was the formation of the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal and known as IRGRD. This Group, over the period from 1955 to 1969, established scientific research working groups in the Federal Republic of Germany, in France, Belgium, Italy, Israel, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The information bulletin of IRGRD successfully went ahead under the editorship of Dr. Rudolf Braun and located at the Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland. The Group also progressed during this period with three successful international congresses, in 1959 in Scheveningen in the Netherlands, in 1962 in Essen in the Federal Republic of Germany, and in 1965 in Trento in Italy. The Trento Congress was most successful in the development of research and its application in the field of city sanitation and waste science. The Third International Congress of IRGRD held in Trento in Italy from 24 to 29 May 1965 In May 1965, the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal (IRGRD) met at their third International Congress in Trento, Italy to discuss the treatment and disposal of refuse and sewage sludge. This conference in Italy was organized by the National Association of Sanitary Engineers (ANDIS - Italy). 07

8 08 Prof E. de Fraja Frangipane, of Italy, led the papers given by sixteen eminent authors covering the fields of sanitary landfill, heat recovery and incineration, dust fallout, prefermentation of compost and the problems of sludge disposal. Prof de Fraja Frangipane presented an extensive paper on the present condition and forecasts for the future of refuse disposal in Italy. There was much discussion at this conference in Trento on the future expansion of the science and practice of waste disposal over a greater international scale. It led rightly to the fourth International Congress of the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal (IRGRD) in June 1969 in Basel Switzerland. The background to the Trento Congress The atmosphere in the historic medieval and renaissance city of Trento was most enjoyable. The city lies in the Adige river valley in the alpine Dolomites region of the northern part of Italy. The city is most notable as the location of the Council of Trent, for the Ecumenical Council between 1545 and As a delegate to the Trento Congress, I was fortunate to stay in the nearby city of Levico Terme in the Grand Imperial Hotel that had been, in the past, accommodation as the summer residence for the Imperial Habsburg family of Austria. It was intriguing that the meals were taken in a separate building, as this was the Habsburg habit to have their family meals separate from where they slept and lived because they were allergic to the smells of cooking. The delegates were warmly welcomed by the City of Trento and technical visits were arranged to the composting plants serving the Trento area and to the Merano composting plant. The Fourth International Congress of IRGRD held in Basel in Switzerland from 2 to 5 June 1969 In reality, when we met together in Basel on the River Rhine in Switzerland, we were a large group of people with many common interests so we were willing to co-operate enthusiastically on the effort to expand internationally. Holding us together under the proposed banner of ISWA would offer good fortune for such an international effort. This movement forward was reflected during the discussions that took place as part of the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal (IRGRD) Congress held in Basel during the summer of The foundation of ISWA At the June 1969 Basel Congress, whilst giving the Welcome Speech and the first main paper entitled International Cooperation in the Field of Waste Disposal, it was a pleasure for Prof Dr O. Yaag of Switzerland, as Congress President, to declare that the merger would take place of the International Association of Public Cleansing (INTAPUC) and the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal (IRGRD). On 1 January 1970, both organizations would be united under a new charter and the new name of the foundation was to be ISWA, depicting the International Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Association. The merger had found the approval of both bodies, and Prof Yaag expressed his appreciation to the American friends in IRGRD, especially to Mr. Bugher and his colleagues from the American Solid Waste Management Association for taking the initiative in all our mutual interests. Prof Yaag continued to state that within a few months and under the new name of ISWA, the IRGRD and INTAPUC would be co-operating and working on the same problems that had before been dealt with separately. He was delighted with this development, as it would enable us to join our efforts and funds in solving the problems of environmental sanitation. Prof Yaag emphasized that other effective co-operation was being performed by the activity of international organizations, particularly those associated with the United Nations such as the WHO, OECD, the European Council and the Atomic Energy Agencies. All of which were furthering the work in the field of environmental engineering by organizing technical meetings and discussions, introductory courses and seminars, and by initiating world wide fundamental studies on special subjects and by issuing technical Bulletins. The opportunities for international co-operation In the second main paper presented at the Basel Congress in June 1969 entitled Duties of the State and Local Authorities in Maintaining the Cleanliness of Our Habitat, Prof Richard Kojetinsky of Austria outlined these duties of the state and local authorities. At the conclusion of his paper, Prof Kojetinsky stated... That he hoped you don t consider it impolite, if after the European Council and World Health Organization, I m going to talk about the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association -- ISWA. This morning, our distinguished Congress president, Prof Yaag, officially announced the merger of the International Research Group on Refuse Disposal (IRGRD) and INTAPUC into ISWA.This merger will establish the essential concentration of international co-operation, eliminate the duplication of efforts, and our capacity to tackle the many unsolved problems will be enhanced. We hope we will reach our goals better, faster and most beneficially for the general public. The prerequisites for a successful accomplishment are met. Technological and scientific work is most suitable for international co-operation, because it is almost free of

9 any ideological ballast. I am still the same optimist as I was in 1964, when I made the same statement in Vienna as INTAPUC President. The need to continue with vigorous international co-operation Prof Richard Kojetinsky continued to state that... Then, I expressed my sincere hope that international co-operation and personal contacts would finally contribute to mutual understanding from country to country and that a positive effect upon the politics of our world would result therefrom. Now, let us continue the international collaboration in the However, the municipality made great efforts to look after the delegates to the IRGRD conference and in addition provide illuminating excursions, both to technical installations and most memorably to a journey on the Rhine. Such events are very necessary for the informal discussions that take place between delegates and are of great value to the outcome of the technical sessions. Concluding Remarks In concluding this brief summary, ISWA has been founded on a stable basis of practical experience and academic research. It has drawn on the worldwide expertise of waste management. It is essential that the consistency and quality of communication between our existing members, outside organizations, and potential new members and our headquarters staff is a major factor in the growing development of ISWA. All our national members should continue to support the principles of sustainable development and promote and develop professional solid waste management worldwide. Prof Richard Kojetinsky, Austria, first President of ISWA ( ) It is vital to continue to expand our National, Organization and Individual membership, to draw in the younger waste management professionals and give strength to our Working Groups. Lastly, the continuity of our programme for Beacon and Annual Congresses is essential. broad field of environmental pollution control, convinced that progress will be made for the benefit of mankind. Let us continue our work, hoping that in this sense, we may contribute a little bit to the solution of the biggest problem of the general public and government, namely to, in the end, guarantee a peaceful state of mind and a healthy life for all men. The welcome given to the delegates to the Basel Congress The reception in Basel given by our hosts was warm and welcoming. As a delegate from the UK, I enjoyed the hospitality of the municipal camping grounds, for at the time in 1969, funds for UK travelers were limited in total to 25 per person per annum. It was necessary therefore to limit expenditure when attending international conferences on waste management. ISWA Presidents R. Kojetinsky, Austria E. de Fraja Frangipane, Italy J. A. Teipel, USA J. Defeche, France J. A. Den Dulk, Netherlands John Skinner, USA Høkan Rylander, Sweden John Ferguson, UK Christoph Scharff, Austria Jean-Paul Leglise, France N.C. Vasuki, USA Niels Jørn Hahn, Denmark Atilio A. Savino, Argentina 09 References de Fraja Frangipane, Prof Eugenio. Present Condition and Forecasts for the Future of Refuse Disposal in Italy. Proceedings of 3rd International Congress of the IRGRD Trento (Italy) Herbert, Lewis. The History of the Institute of Waste Management: : Celebrating 100 years of progress. Institute of Waste Management (United Kingdom) ISBN : Jaag, Prof.O. Welcome Speech. Proceedings of 4th International Congress of the IRGRD Basel (Schweiz) Jaag, Prof.O. International Co-operation in the Field of Waste Disposal. Proceedings of 4th International Congress of the IRGRD Basel (Schweiz) Kojetinsky, Richard. Duties of the State and Local Authorities in Maintaining the Cleanliness of Our Habitat. Proceedings of 4th International Congress of the IRGRD Basel (Schweiz) Sumner, J. The Storage and Collection of Refuse An International Survey. International Conference of INTAPUC Paris (France) Sumner, J. The Storage and Collection of Refuse An International Survey. Report of the Working Party on Refuse Disposal. Her Majesty s Stationary Office. (United Kingdom) 1971.

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11 2. Mission and Objectives Mission ISWA the International Solid Waste Association is a global, independent and non-profit making association, working in the public interest to fulfil its declared mission: To Promote and Develop Sustainable and Professional Waste Management Worldwide ISWA achieves its mission through: Efficiency in terms of environmental practice Social acceptability and efficiency in terms of economic viability Advancement of waste management through education and training Support to developing countries through ISWA Development Program Professionalism through its program on professional qualifications. Objectives ISWA works to protect human health and the environment and to ensure sustainable resource management. The objectives of ISWA are to promote and develop sustainable and professional waste management practices worldwide through scientific, economic and social instruments by: Providing an international network, to share knowledge, data and experience in waste management Organizing expert working groups to advance knowledge and expertise Organizing professional meetings, seminars and conferences for the dissemination of information Developing education and training courses on various aspects of waste management including the initiation of a qualification and certification program Making available the results of state-of-the-art developments, experience, research and best practices through high quality, professional publications Cooperating with International organizations and institutions whose goals and activities are related to ISWA s objectives Promoting and strengthening sustainable waste management practices in developing countries. Implementation ISWA is the only worldwide association promoting sustainable, comprehensive and professional waste management. The Association is open to individuals and organizations from the scientific community, public institutions and public and private companies from all over the world working in the field of and interested in waste management. ISWA is working with its unique mix of members who span the whole waste sector for the promotion and development of sustainable waste management across the world. Being a non-profit and non-governmental association, ISWA is able to promote an unbiased view of sustainable waste management. ISWA promotes and develops sustainable waste management through: The work of its nine Working Groups who are the drivers for ISWA s technical work Organization of more than 20 professional meetings, seminars and conferences per year ISWA s three Regional Development Networks (RDNs), working on key waste issues specific to Latin America, the Mediterranean/Middle East and the Asian Pacific area Raising professional standards through its International Waste Manager (IWM) program The ISWA Development Program (IDP) which funds educational and training programs focusing on sustainable waste management, as well as supports the transfer of knowledge to developing countries and economies in transition The ISWA task force on GHG emissions The ISWA task force on Globalization and Waste Management Communication and Publication awards. ISWA is the leading international association of reference for high quality professional information and advice regarding all aspects of waste management. How ISWA fulfilled its mission and objectives in 2009 and the first half of 2010 is described in chapter 4 Promotion of Sustainable Waste Management. 11

12 3. Organizational Structure The General Assembly The General Assembly is the ruling body of ISWA. Its specific duties include establishment of membership requirements, dues, and policy. The General Assembly empowers the Board with responsibilities for managing, through the General Secretariat, the affairs of ISWA. The General Assembly meets annually at the ISWA World Congress (see chapter 4.1.). The Board The Board is responsible for all policies, finances, and operations of ISWA. Within the authorities assigned to it by the General Assembly, the Statutes, the Internal Regulations and Operational Guidelines, the Board assures that the mission of ISWA is met. The Board met 4 times in 2009 and 5 times in 2010, the main issues and activities were as follows: 12 General Assembly 2009 Project Funding Regarding the financial support of projects new guidelines have been developed and implemented. One of the main issues was to ensure a transparent, uniform and clear decision-making process for the sound use of the Vienna grant. In accordance with the agreement between the City of Vienna and ISWA the agreed budget will be used in order to strengthen ISWA s technical and scientific profile, to further develop ISWA s global and country-level presence and to increase ISWA s influence with decision-makers regarding Solid Waste Management issues.

13 Change of GS-staff As it was decided that all staff members have to be located at the new General Secretariat s premises in Vienna, it was necessary to establish a new team. Based on the analysis of the expertise needed, an Acting Managing Director has been selected and appropriate and qualified staff members have been appointed. As all open positions were able to be filled within a short period of time, the General Secretariat s capacity to act has been ensured. Activities in the area of the Regional Development Network (RDN) A Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Training, Advisory & Promotion (TAP) Centre for waste management in Singapore has been negotiated and signed. The TAP centre aims to serve as a hub for supporting ISWA member activities, facilitating ISWA programs and promoting ISWA membership in the Asia/Pacific region. The implementation is scheduled for the end of 2010 (see also chapter 4.4.3). Beacon Conferences In 2010 three ISWA Beacon conferences have been organized. All of them turned out to be very successful and well attended events (see chapter 4.1). In addition to that the Board supports and supervises the activities and projects of the ISWA General Secretariat. Members of the Board in 2009/2010 Atilio Savino, Argentina, President Jeff Cooper, United Kingdom, Vice President Helmut Stadler, Austria, Treasurer Antonis Mavropoulos, Greece, STC Chair Erik de Baedts, The Netherlands, NM Representative David Newman, Italy, NM Representative Jørgen Haukohl, Denmark, OM Representative Jean Paul Leglise, France, OM Representative Doron Sapir, Israel, RDN Representative Ian Coles, Australia, RDN Representative Alberto Bianchini, Brazil, RDN Representative The General Secretariat The administrative tasks of ISWA are performed by the General Secretariat (GS) under the direction of a Managing Director. The Managing Director serves as the chief executive officer of ISWA and is responsible for all planning, management, direction, co-ordination and support to all ISWA operations, committees, meetings, membership development, publications, and relations with other organizations. In 2010 there was a change of personnel within the General Secretariat. Mr. Hermann Koller has been appointed as Managing Director. The Board took this change and the start of the new team as an opportunity for a reorganization of the General Secretariat: With a revised, well-considered, slim structure and clear responsibilities an efficient administration, best possible member support and expertise has been created. This is further supported by having all team members located at the new premises in Vienna. Besides the daily business like Membership- and Working Group support, the organization and promotion of events, and the services related to the ISWA publications (WM&R, WMW, Newsletters, Annual Report etc.), the main activities of the GS in 2010 were: Reorganization of the Finance Management and the Finance Administration Improvement of membership service IT-Harmonization Relaunch of the website Establishment of the project Knowledge Base Development and implementation of a Multi Annual Plan and a Communication Plan Increase of cooperation and networking with stakeholders. 13 The new team at the ISWA General Secretariat in Vienna, from left to right: Gerfried Habenicht (Communications Manager), Rachael Williams (Technical Manager), Hermann Koller (Managing Director), Julia Schönherr (Administrative and Project Assistant), Alfred Holzschuster (Finance & Member Service Manager).

14 General Secretariat Opening of the new premises On 2 July 2010 the Official Opening Ceremony of our new Headquarters in Vienna took place. 60 guests from 11 countries followed our invitation and experienced a very entertaining and atmospheric event. After a welcome drink and a viewing of the premises there were opening addresses from Ms. Ulli Sima, Councilwoman for the Environment, from our President Mr. Atilio Savino and from Mr. Rainer Kronberger, President of ISWA Austria (pictured on the left). Mr. Hermann Koller, our Managing Director, gave a presentation on ISWA projects, activities and future developments. The evening finished with an Austrian gastronomic specialities dinner buffet. Scientific and Technical Committee The Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) is governed by its Chair and the current Chairs of the ISWA Working Groups. The STC represents ISWA s technical expertise and coordinates the activities of the Working Groups. Members meet 2-3 times a year, often in connection with the Board meetings. The Chair of the STC is also a member of the ISWA Board. Regional Development Networks ISWA has established different Regional Development Networks (RDN) to more effectively reach regions outside of its traditionally strong areas (i.e. Western Europe and North America). The RDNs aim is to promote sustainable waste management by carrying out activities and developing programs that focus on their regions special needs and challenges /2010 activities of the STC see chapter 4.2 below. Working Groups The purpose of the ISWA Working Groups is to serve as the principal means for ISWA to deliver its technical and scientific programs. As such, the Board and the ISWA membership look to the Working Groups for technical information and assistance, basic and applied research, professional meetings, and the development and dissemination of information regarding solid waste management. Currently there are 9 Working Groups excluding the new Working Group dealing with Climate Change issues that has just recently been established. 2009/2010 activities of the Working Groups see chapter 4.3 below. There are currently three Regional Development Networks that have been established, each of them represented by one member on the ISWA Board. Asian and Pacific Regional Network Australia Waste Management Association of Australia India National Solid Waste Association of India Malaysia Waste Management Association of Malaysia New Zealand Waste Management Institute of New Zealand Singapore Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore

15 Balcanien, Middle East and Mediterranean Regional Network Bosnia and Herzegovina CENER21 Bulgaria ECOS Medica Ltd. Greece Hellenic Solid Waste Management Association Turkey Turkish National Committee on Solid Wastes Israel The Dan Region of Association of Towns - Sanitation and Waste Disposal Romania Romanian Association of Solid Waste Management Serbia SeSWA - Serbian Solid Waste Association Latin America Regional Network Argentina Association for Solid Waste Studies Brazil Brazilian Association of Public Cleaning and Special Waste Companies Membership ISWA has the following different membership categories: National Members, Organisation Members, Individual Members and Online Members. The National Members (see chapter 7.) are non-profit, waste management associations representing the waste management sector in a particular country. Generally, these associations have memberships from both the private and public sector. Based on ISWA regulations, the National Members are the only members allowed to vote at the General Assembly and thus, they constitute the governing body of ISWA. Through the National Members, ISWA s network reaches out to some 25,000 to 30,000 global professionals interested in the waste management field. Organization Members are public or private organizations and companies working in or associated with the field of waste management which, depending on the annual dues paid, enjoy a different range of member benefits (see chapter 8. and 15

16 4. Promotion of Sustainable Waste Management How does ISWA achieve its mission? ISWA promotes and develops sustainable waste management through the organization of meetings and events, particularly of congresses and conferences. Another important contribution is the effort of its nine Working Groups and the activities of its Scientific and Technical Committee. In order to achieve further progress on sustainable development, ISWA implements task forces and projects. ISWA raises professional standards in the field of sustainable waste management through its International Waste Manager program. Finally, ISWA fosters good communication and publications on sustainable waste management with awards. Furthermore ISWA organizes several Beacon Conferences a year. These Conferences focus on different waste management topics like Biological Treatment, Energy Recovery, Sanitary Landfill or Recycling and Waste Prevention with 70 to 500 participants attending. Delegates World Congresses ( ) The following chapters provide an overview on ISWA s various activities in the promotion of sustainable waste management emphasizing the year 2009 and the first half of Congresses and Conferences The biggest event ISWA organizes regularly is the ISWA World Congress. The World Congress is a 4 days event held once a year in autumn and usually attracts 600 to 700 participants from 50 to 70 different countries. At each of the last years World Congresses there were between 100 and 180 presentations by renowned international experts. Number of Delegates World Congress Copenhagen 2006 World Congress Amsterdam 2007 World Congress Singapore 2008 World Congress Lisbon 2009 ISWA events and meetings in

17 From 15 to 18 of November 2010 the City of Hamburg will host this year s ISWA World Congress on Urban Development and Sustainability. The event has been co-organized by the VKS, member of the VKU support association. The last ISWA World Congress took place in Lisbon at the Cultural Centre of Belém from 12 to 15 October 2009 and was co-organized by the Portuguese Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (APESB). The theme of the Congress was Turning Waste into Ideas. The World Congress 2008 was held at the Suntec in Singapore. This event was co-organized by the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) and the National Environment Agency (NEA). The ISWA World Congress 2007 Challenging the future was held at the RAI International Exhibition & Congress Centre in Amsterdam. The event was co-organized by ISWA s Dutch National member NVRD. particular interest was the debate surrounding anaerobic digestion. Finally, a window was opened on the markets for composted products, certification programmes and quality controls. The first ISWA Beacon Conference on Waste Prevention & Recycling took place in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, on the 20th and 21st of May. This Conference has been initiated by the ISWA Working Group for Recycling and Waste Minimization and is instrumental in disseminating new knowledge and developments especially in the areas of Waste Prevention, Sustainable Production and Consumption and Life Cycle Thinking. During the two very intense and interesting conference days 28 highly qualified speakers delivered a well balanced mix of academic and practical sessions to more than 70 attendees from all over the world. Beacon Conferences The series of Beacon Conferences organized by ISWA has been a great success. Perfect examples were the three Beacons held in the first half of the year A total of over 700 delegates attended the three conferences: The ISWA Beacon Conference on Biological Treatment of Waste was held in Perugia, Italy on the 15th and 16th of April and attended by over 100 participants, mainly from Europe. This was the third edition of this Beacon Conference, organized by the Working Group on Biological Waste and the National Member for Italy, ATIA-ISWA ITALIA. Delegates discussed the current state and future prospectives of organic waste treatment. The principal focus of the event regarded how local authorities enact systems for organic waste collection and recovery; while a second focus looked at the current state of technologies available for the treatment of these fractions. Of ISWA Beacon Conference in Buenos Aires At the ISWA Beacon Conference on Sustainable Sanitary Landfills in Buenos Aires from 31st of May to 1st of June there were 523 attendees from 13 Countries. Both the recommendations formulated and the experiences shared by the speakers will form a significant contribution to achieve a big step towards the improvement of waste management in the Latin American region. 17

18 4.2. Scientific and Technical Committee Chair: Antonis Mavropoulos, Greece Vice-Chair: Maarten Goorhuis, Netherlands The Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) is governed by its Chair and the current Chairs of the ISWA Working Groups. The STC represents ISWA s technical expertise. Members meet 2-3 times a year, often in connection with the Board meetings. The Chair of the STC is member of the ISWA Board. Main activities of the STC in 2009/2010 were: Development of ISWA s technical profile, including various workshop- and conference programs Support of ISWA Leadership initiatives and Multi Annual Plan Development of Working Groups programs Development of the ISWA Knowledge Base (see chapter ) Development of the Proposal for Procedures regarding Vienna Grants Contributions to the ISWA Task Force on Greenhouse Gases Support of the IWM certification procedure Establishment of a Task Force on Globalization and Solid Waste Management Initiation of Position Papers on Waste Prevention and on Waste Trafficking The role of the STC is to conduct and coordinate the technical work of ISWA. The actions of the STC are based on its own objectives and annual work program, as well as the work programs for the different Working Groups. The Working Groups are functioning differently and this difference is respected as far as possible. The input from the Working Groups is based on voluntary work from its members and ISWA recognizes the efforts made by its large number of Working Group members. Working Group Meetings are usually held 1 to 2 times a year. Voluntary Time for ISWA The progress of ISWA in promoting sustainable waste management relies on the initiatives of its members. All the members of the various bodies of ISWA invest voluntary time for meetings. The following statistics give an impression of this commitment. Voluntary Time in Meetings (without time for preparation and travelling) In 2009 the board convened four times, the total number of voluntary person days amounted to more than 50. In 2010 the board members had already invested almost the same amount of time by the end of September The members of the various working groups invest about 100 voluntary person days a year. These meetings have an average duration of about 1.5 days. The voluntary time within the Scientific and Technical Committee amounted to 32 days in 2009 and to 20 days in 2010 by the end of October. Voluntary Person Days These numbers are even more impressive considering the fact that they only represent the time spent in meetings. Travelling time as well as the time spent on preparing the meetings is not included in these figures (until October 1st) Board Meetings STC Meetings Working Groups

19 4.3. Working Groups The purpose of the ISWA Working Groups is to serve as the principal means for ISWA to deliver its technical and scientific programs. As such, the Board and the ISWA membership look to the Working Groups for technical information and assistance, basic and applied research, professional meetings, and the development and dissemination of information about solid waste management. Currently there are 10 Working Groups with a total of around 250 members coming from more then 30 different nations: Working Group on Communication Chair: Gunilla Carlsson, Sweden The Working Group on Communication serves as the principal resource to ISWA in the field of communication and social relations. The Working Group addresses public concerns, comprising public support and public opposition to waste management policies, public consultation and participation, and communication and social issues with focus on basic human attitudes towards waste. The Working Group s main objectives are: to cover communication and social aspects within the framework of waste management. to acknowledge and communicate the growing importance of public acceptance for a successful implementation and proper conduct of waste management policies, such as collection systems, siting of facilities, disposal fees, regulations and other related aspects. to foster the good reputation of professional waste management among the public by developing, co-ordinating, and disseminating strategies and tools aimed at increasing public support of and reducing public opposition to waste management strategies. to strengthen the role of communication as a determining factor for achieving satisfactory solutions in waste management practices. Main discussions and activities in 2009/2010 were: The ISWA Communication Award Standardisation of colours and symbols Sustainability reporting Databank on Communication Campaigns GHG Task Force Communication related Working Group on Energy Recovery Chair: Håkan Rylander, Sweden The Working Group on Energy Recovery addresses the thermal treatment of waste, the production of energy, control of emissions from waste-to-energy, and the management of residues resulting from waste-to-energy. The Working Group s main objectives are: to promote the adoption of cost-effective, environmentally sound systems, methods and practices for thermal treatment of municipal waste, thereby especially addressing the waste-to energy concept to develop, co-ordinate and disseminate timely information on institutional, technological, economic, environmental and research developments in the field of thermal treatment of municipal waste Main discussions and activities in 2009/2010 were: Waste-to-Energy in relation to climate change and input to the ISWA Task Force on Climate Change Revision of the EU IPPC-directive and the proposed merge with the Waste Incineration Directive Discussion of the proposal for an EU directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources including waste Presentation of Waste-to-Energy in the various member countries and discussion of the new concept of developing waste power plants Encouraging and supporting, at international and national levels, mechanisms for effective contribution to the public policy debate on the role of thermal treatment as an essential part of integrated waste management Working Group Healthcare Waste Chair: William K. Townend, United Kingdom Healthcare includes for both humans and animals the medical activities for the diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, prevention of disease or alleviation of handicap including the related research. Healthcare Waste is the solid or liquid waste arising from Healthcare and includes personal hygiene waste products. Healthcare Risk Waste includes Biological Waste, Infectious Waste, Sharps, Chemical, Toxic or Pharmaceutical Waste including Cytotoxins and Radioactive Wastes. The Working Group s main objectives are to promote the integrated provision of the infrastructure for the safe management of Healthcare Waste world-wide, within the framework of the objectives, activities and 19

20 means of implementation established by Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development. Main discussions and activities in 2009/2010 were: Developing a comprehensive definition of Healthcare, Healthcare Waste and Healthcare Risk Waste and promote its recognition by all national and relevant International Organizations. Producing by way of meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, publications and competence based education, training and assessment the means by which the best professional practices of Healthcare Waste Management can be promulgated world-wide to match economic circumstances and stages of social development. Co-operation with the World Health Organization: The Working Group has been engaged for the last two years in producing the new version of the WHO publication The safe management of wastes from healthcare activities (Blue Book). The book was published in 1999 and is now in its final stages of review prior to being published later this year. Next major task will be organizing the promotion of the WHO Blue Book when it is published and organizing a Beacon Conference to promulgate it widely. and guidelines Landfill gas collection and energy recovery Greenhouse gases and treatment of methane emissions from landfills. Main discussions and activities in 2009/2010 were: Landfill Operations Guidelines translation into Portuguese and Mandarin Update on International Guidelines for Sustainable Landfill Evaluation State of the nation report on Landfilling ISWA Beacon Conference on Landfill, Buenos Aires, Argentina Partnership with M2M (Methane to Markets) Working Group on Landfill Chair: Derek Greedy, United Kingdom 20 The Working Group on Landfill addresses the planning, siting, design, construction, operation, closure, and enduse of landfills. The Working Group s overall interests are in the proper closure of open dumps worldwide and the move towards the construction and operation of modern, engineered landfills. These interests have led to providing technical support on the design, construction, regulation, and management of landfills, for both industrialised and developing nations. Further aspects include operations, closure, and end-use concepts, along with standard practices for ground water monitoring and testing, leachate management, gas management, and stormwater management. A major activity of the Working Group is to conduct training courses for solid waste managers from environmentally developing countries. In addition, the group is working on various reports, training material and key issue papers which include: Closure of open dumps Landfill regulation, minimum standards, Working Group on Legal Issues Chair: Martin Hassfurther, Austria The purpose of the Working Group on Legal Issues is to serve as the principal resource to ISWA on legal issues. The overall interests for the Working Group are the exchange of legal aspects on different hot topics in waste management. Currently there is much focus on waste trafficking, EU-waste legislation, environmental responsibility and the legal aspects of different kinds of publicprivate cooperation. Main discussions and activities in 2009/2010 were: Share and transfer legal information to all ISWA members based on knowledge, experience and research of Working Group members Coordinate legal aspects of the activities in the different ISWA Working Groups To take initiatives to develop and increase the activities of ISWA internationally in making appropriate legal representation