The Waste Management & Circular Economy Conference, held on June 15 in Dubai, and organised by Waste & Recycling MEA magazine, was a highly successful event that brought together professionals, experts, and stakeholders from the waste management and circular economy sectors. The conference aimed to explore innovative strategies, technologies, and best practices to tackle waste management challenges while promoting the transition towards a circular economy.

Renowned experts and industry leaders engaged in inspiring discussions, shedding light on the current state of waste management and circular economy practices. They discussed the importance of adopting sustainable approaches, highlighting successful case studies and sharing insights into future trends.

The conference marked an important milestone, coming at a juncture when the UAE has declared this year as the Year of Sustainability. It is a powerful statement that resonates not only within our borders but across the globe. It is a call to action, a call for collaboration, and a call to drive real change in the face of pressing environmental challenges. COP28, which is just five months away, presents us with a unique opportunity to shape the global sustainability agenda. And the conference set the stage for this momentous event.  Each panel discussion focused on specific aspects of waste management, circular economy, food waste, technology, green energy transition, circular business models, investing in a circular future, and the roadmap to achieving Net Zero emissions. These sessions provided valuable insights and discussions among industry experts and professionals, encouraging productive conversations among participants. 

Experts discussed policy frameworks, waste reduction strategies, recycling initiatives, resource optimisation, and the role of technology in transforming waste management practices. They had the opportunity to present their innovative projects, and successful case studies. They showcased novel approaches to waste management, recycling techniques, waste-to-energy conversion, and circular economy business models. Attendees gained valuable insights and inspiration from these diverse presentations. Industry experts also engaged in discussions regarding policy frameworks, regulatory challenges, and the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors. These discussions aimed to identify opportunities for policy improvements, institutional support, and financial incentives to foster sustainable waste management practices.  

This highly successful conference witnessed participation from 34 speakers and more than 270 delegates, who had come from various backgrounds. They included professionals from waste management & recycling industries, energy experts, environment and waste management consultants, officials from government institutions and professionals from consumer goods and financial institutions. 

The conference provided ample networking opportunities for participants to connect with industry peers, forge new partnerships, and share knowledge. Networking sessions and a dedicated exhibition area allowed attendees to interact with solution providers, equipment manufacturers, technology developers, and service providers.

An exclusive Buyer-Seller Meet

During the conference, the magazine organised an exclusive Buyer-Seller Meet with the goal of connecting suppliers and buyers. The event brought together a range of businesses, from small-scale enterprises to large corporations from the waste management and recycling sectors. The meet allowed participants to engage in meaningful discussions and forge valuable connections. The Meet was sponsored by BEEAH, a leading waste management company in the UAE. 

Sponsors who supported the conference 

The Waste Management and Circular Economy conference was sponsored by Viqa Investment, the Gold Sponsor, BEEAH Group, the Buyer-Seller Meet sponsor, CDE, the silver sponsor, Expert4Recycling and Imdaad, the Networking Break Sponsors, The Green Billions, the lanyard and badge sponsor and Exxell Objects the session sponsor. 

The conference opened with the Panel Discussion on “Waste management and circular economy: the gap between ambition and action” , which took a overall look at the challenges associated with the world’s journey towards a circular economy. Experts from the UAE, India and South Africa brainstormed to identify gaps between our ambition and action towards a circular economy. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Rashed Karkain (CEO and MD, Sustainable Development Research and Training Institute). The panelists were Ashly Alex (Director of Environmental Services, Imdaad), Boris van Thiel (Advisor to the Chairman, Viqa Investment), Ntobeko Boyana (Executive and Chapter Lead for South Africa, ACEN) and Rahul Podaar (Managing Director, The Shakti Plastic Industries). They broke down each of the problematic gaps beginning with funding gap, regulatory gap, capacity gap, human capital gap to awareness gap. They discussed the key challenges and barriers hindering the transition to a circular economy in waste management in the UAE and Middle East, in India and South Africa. They also shared what their governments are doing in the circularity space and best practices from each of these countries. The industry experts shared their thoughts on what the COP28 summit should focus on with regard to waste management and recycling. 

The discussion on ‘Food waste and circular economy’ was moderated by Youssef Chehade (Managing Partner, Ecyclex). The panelists included Muhammad Danbappa (Co-Founder & CCO, Ehfaaz), Nada Ghanem (Founder & Managing Director, Douda Vermiculture Solutions), Paula Sroujean (President and Founder, ACT - Active Advocacy for Communities of Tomorrow), Tapan Vaidya (Chief Executive Officer, PJP Investments Group - Papa Johns UAE, KSA & Jordan) and Yasmin Fansa (Middle East Sustainability Lead, PepsiCo).  The panelists discussed the current state of food waste in the UAE and the Middle East, and why it is crucial to address this issue. They discussed how the food service industry is tackling food waste and the challenges faced by F&B companies in addressing food waste and achieving circularity in the food space. They also shared their thoughts on innovative solutions and how technology can tackle food waste and examined vermiculture as an ecological, economical solution for organic waste management. The explored the roles governments should play in promoting a circular economy and reducing food waste and shared successful inspirational policy examples from around the world. Finally, they analysed the key priorities and actions needed from various stakeholders to accelerate the transition towards a more circular and sustainable food system.

The presentation on technology as a tool towards circularity by Mo Elborno (Chief Executive Officer, Exxel Objects) showcased waste-to-fuel and waste-to-energy technologies from Exxcel Objects. 

The panel discussion on Green Energy transition to tackle climate change, moderated by Riad Bestani (Founder & CEO, ECOsquare). Speakers included Karl W. Feilder (Founder, Neutral Fuels), Kinjal Salvi (Chief Operating Officer, TheGreenBillions Limited), Kumayl Ahmed Al Lawati (VP, Business Development, Be'ah Oman), Nouf Mohamed Jamal Wazir (Senior Engineer at BEEAH Energy, BEEAH Group) and Tharun Thomas (Senior Commercial Manager, Engie Solutions). They discussed why the transition to green energy is important and urgent. Among various aspects of the topics, they discussed:         the significant barriers or challenges hindering the widespread adoption of green energy technologies and the ways to address them effectively; Designing of waste-to-energy technologies to ensure minimal environmental harm and maximize energy recovery;       Technical requirements or modifications necessary for vehicles or equipment to run on cooking oil-based biodiesel and how public-private partnerships and innovative financing models can support the development of waste to hydrogen projects. 

The afternoon sessions saw unfolding of interesting conversations around circular business models and investing in circularity. The  discussion on “Developing circular business model and rethinking supply chain” was moderated by Sonia Ytuarte Nasser (Solid Waste Advisor to Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Vietnam, Tetra Tech). The speakers included Bethlehem Yerdaw (Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Manager, Waters EMENA, Nestle),  Christian Noll (General Manager, IBM Consulting Middle East & Africa),  Harbinder Singh (Chairman, YES Full Circle) and Priya Sarma (Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs, Unilever). They discussed the need for reshaping consumption, redesigning products and changes required along the value chain. They weighed in on various measures including the strategies or approaches that their companies are using to address product durability, recyclability, and ease of repair or remanufacturing; fostering of business partnerships to create a more circular and sustainable value chain; the financial considerations and strategies that businesses can adopt to overcome these challenges and make circularity financially viable; how businesses can educate and engage consumers to embrace more sustainable consumption patterns and participate in circular initiatives, such as recycling or product return programmes. They also discussed how companies can effectively implement EPR measures, such as take-back programmes and responsible disposal of products, to ensure the proper management of waste throughout the product life cycle. 

The discussion on “Investing in a circular future: Opportunities and risks” was moderated by Andrew Dunwoody (Circular Economy Technical Lead, Ricardo). Panelists included Aditya Shah (Head of Circular Economy Investments, Creek Capital), Ali Al Suwaidi (Senior Executive Director - FM Services Imdaad, Vice President of MEFMA), Faisal Al Shimmari (Senior Vice President, Head of Risk Strategy & Governance, Mashreq), Marcelo Piva (Sustainability Director | Middle East & Africa, Tetra Pak) and Oliver Phillips (Sustainable Finance - Africa & Middle East Lead, Standard Chartered Bank). They discussed  the existing policy frameworks and regulations in the region that promote the transition to a circular economy. The experts discussed key areas or industries that offer significant potential for investors looking to support and capitalise on the transition to a circular economy. They explored the  various financial tools offered by banks today for green projects; the  challenges and risks associated with making investments to develop innovative solutions; The financial considerations and risks associated with investing in circularity and early-stage technologies and how investors can effectively evaluate and manage these risks and the uccessful circular initiatives that have demonstrated financial returns for investors, and how can these successes be replicated or scaled up in the region. They also analysed how financial institutions and investors should support and encourage businesses to transition towards circular business models. 

The conference concluded with a forward-looking session, where participants collectively brainstormed and charted a roadmap for achieving the Net Zero targets. This session emphasised the need for continuous innovation, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge sharing to drive sustainable change. The “Roadmap to Net Zero” was moderated by Martin Reynolds (Co-Founder and CEO, Zero Carbon Ventures). The panelists included Ivano Iannelli (Senior Consultant - Sustainability, Emirates Global Aluminium), Raji Hattar (Chief Sustainability Officer, Aramex International LLC), Ruchin Garg (Regional Manager - Middle East & Africa, CDE Global) and Sunil Dayal (Energy & Climate Finance Expert, World Bank). They discussed the journey of the Middle East and UAE in particular towards achieving Net Zero; Increased investment in net zero is an Economic, environmental and political necessity and not just an environmental choice; Strategies and initiatives that businesses should adopt to contribute to the net-zero roadmap; The potential economic benefits or cost savings by making a shift to renewable energy and how industries should balance environmental sustainability with financial considerations.