ISWA and The Association for the Study of Solid Waste (ARS) proudly hosts the 2025 ISWA World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, taking place from 27 – 29 October 2025.

The 2025 ISWA World Congress theme is “Towards a wasteless future or a wasteful planet?”

In a nutshell…

Since its beginning in 1972, the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress has been considered the industry’s leading solid waste management event in a different location each year.

The ISWA World Congress is a global meeting which includes high-level plenaries as well as technical site visits and a cultural and social programme where waste management professionals, government officials, industry leaders, policymakers, scientists and young professionals meet to exchange views and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for sustainable solid waste management.

The Congress is always preceded by the ISWA General Assembly, next to the ISWA Board and Scientific and Technical Committee meetings.

 

Snapshot from ISWA 2024 World Congress in South Africa.

The 2024 World Congress in numbers

 

1270 participants 326 speakers
413 abstracts received 80 exhibitors

from 29 countries

18 posters

UPCOMING ISWA WORLD CONGRESS LOCATIONS:

PAST EDITIONS:

The ISWA World Congress has been hosted by 29 countries over the last 50 years. 

1972 Prague, Czechoslovakia

1976 Padua, Italy

1980 London, United Kingdom

1984 Philadelphia, USA

1988 Copenhagen, Denmark

1989 Geneva, Switzerland

1990 Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1991 Toronto, Canada

1992 Madrid, Spain

1993 Jonköping, Sweden

1994 Torbay, United Kingdom

1995 Vienna, Austria

1996 Yokohama, Japan

1997 Wellington, New Zealand

1998 Charlotte, USA

1999 Oviedo, Spain

2000 Paris, France

2001 Stavanger, Norway

2002 Istanbul, Turkey

2003 Melbourne, Australia

 

2004 Rome, Italy

2005 Buenos Aires, Argentina

2006 Copenhagen, Denmark

2007 Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2008 Singapore, Singapore

2009 Lisbon, Portugal

2010 Hamburg, Germany

2011 Daegu, Republic of Korea

2012 Florence, Italy

2013 Vienna, Austria

2014 Sao Paulo, Brazil

2015 Antwerp, Belgium

2016 Novi Sad, Serbia

2017 Baltimore, USA

2018 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2019 Bilbao, Spain

2021 Athens, Greece (virtual)

2022 Singapore, Singapore

2023 Muscat, Oman

2024 Cape Town, South Africa

ISWA World Congress 2019 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2018 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2017 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2016 Impressions One

ISWA Wolrd Congress 2016 Impressions Two

ISWA World Congress 2016 A Walk through the Venue

ISWA General Assembly 2016

ISWA World Congress 2016 Image Video

ISWA World Congress 2015 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2014 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2013 Impressions

ISWA World Congress 2012 ISWA President's Speech

Credits: ABRELPE, ISWA, City of Vienna, ATIA ISWA Italia

HOSTING A CONGRESS:

How is the location for a Congress decided?
Currently, Congresses are organised to take place every year. Decisions regarding the site of the Congress are made by the ISWA board based on responses to an Expression of Interest and announced during the ISWA General Assembly.

Who is eligible to bid?
Bids for the Congress will be welcomed from ISWA National Member organisations. Experience in hosting international conferences / meetings is an advantage. Backing from a professional organisation in hosting international conferences may be helpful in some locations, but is not a prerequisite for making a bid. Bids will be considered more positively if they have documented the supportive backing of city’s council, and/or a local Chamber of Commerce or tourist organisation.

ISWA is an international organisation and, as such, consideration will be given to a variety of geographical locations for different Congresses. In this way, the international reach of the association is reflected through the Congress venues and attendance from delegates living on different continents is promoted. English is the language used at all ISWA congresses. The host organisation is responsible for the results and financial success of the congress.

The elected host for the ISWA World Congress is also responsible for the organisation of the ISWA General Assembly, ISWA board meeting, and ISWA Scientific and Technical Committee meeting. These occur in the two days before the Congress.

Expression of Interest
The next Expression of Interest is for 2026, for details please reach out to events@iswa.org

 

ORGANISER:

International Solid Waste Association

The International Solid Waste Association is an international network of waste professionals and experts from around the world whose mission is “To Promote and Develop Sustainable and Professional Waste Management Worldwide and the transition to a circular economy.”

We hope to achieve this by bringing together waste experts from around the world to network, create best practices, produce industry reports, as well publishing our own scientific journal Waste Management and Research. We are the platform that allows our members to share and curate knowledge among their peers.

CONTACT US:

Get in touch if you have any questions or comments.

7 + 10 =

Daphne de Leeuw

Daphne de Leeuw

Event Manager ISWA

 

Email: events@iswa.org
Phone number: +31 (0)10 808 3990