Making its debut on African shores, this year’s International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Conference 2024 attracted significant interest and participation from over 1 300 delegates representing 44 countries. Held from 15 to 18 September at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, this year’s theme, “Waste to Wealth: Solutions for a Sustainable Future”, offered a vibrant platform for exchanging knowledge, ideas, techniques and technologies.

Tonnes of waste are produced daily, and waste management issues are common across communities worldwide. The four-day event attracted a staggering 350 plus oral and poster presentations. Stimulating thematic sessions offered engagement opportunities for delegates to participate in and apply their minds towards addressing how innovative methodologies can turn trash into wealth from recycled materials.

Researchers from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) made an impression with their insight and relevant findings. On the second day, CSIR principal scientist Prof. Linda Godfrey set the scene during the conference’s plenary session, delivering a well-received keynote address titled, “What will it take to fix South Africa’s broken waste management system?” She provided valuable insights into the challenges and solutions needed to address the current issues in waste management, emphasising the importance of innovation and collaboration.

“There is demand for and interest in investing in waste management and the move to a circular economy on the African continent as is evidenced by the relatively recent acquisition of two leading South African waste management companies by international players in this field,” says CSIR principal researcher Prof. Suzan Oelofse. She chaired two sessions, participated in a panel discussion on the negotiations for an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution and presented a talk on addressing plastic pollution, drawing insights from South Africa’s experience.

To contribute to waste management law, governance and regulation matters during her talk, CSIR researcher Sihle Matinise unpacked a South African case study on the effectiveness of compulsory integrated waste management planning at the municipal level. Her presentation provided a status quo and highlighted a need for improved municipal waste management planning in South Africa. Matinise highlighted that waste management planning is the cornerstone for effective waste management and plays a crucial role in transitioning from waste to wealth, ultimately fostering a circular economy.

Additionally, CSIR researcher Dr Taahira Goga delivered two presentations. The first examined the intersection of climate change mitigation and circularity in the context of the local plastics sector, while the second took a deeper dive into the modelling of circularity strategies for the South African plastics life cycle. She shared valuable data on the impact of alternative measures in the short- to medium-term, considering both emissions and material perspectives. Goga emphasised the need for stronger circular strategies to close the loop along with the addition of a decarbonisation strategy to create a more sustainable future.

The ISWA World Conference 2024 aims to foster and encourage the development and training of waste management professionals in Africa. Not only does the event stimulate knowledge and skills transfer, but it also brings together waste experts from around the world to network, create best practices and produce industry reports.

Insightful technical tours were organised, allowing conference delegates to explore Cape Town’s innovative waste management projects and witness sustainability practices in action, ranging from innovative recycling systems to community-driven sustainability initiatives.