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 |
PAST EDITIONS:
The ISWA World Congress has been hosted by 29 countries over the last 50 years.
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
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
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.
Daphne de Leeuw
Event Manager ISWA
Email: events@iswa.org
Phone number: +31 (0)10 808 3990