ISWA WORLD CONGRESS

15 – 18 September 2024, Cape Town, South Africa

The leading international waste management event.

Join us in South Africa in 2024!

In a nutshell…

Since its beginning in 1972, the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress has been considered as the industry’s leading solid waste management event which takes place 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, policy makers, 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 meeting.

PAST EDITIONS:

The 2023 edition of the ISWA World Congress was held in Muscat, Oman in October 2023. Take a look at the recaps here: #ISWA2023 Day 1 Recap – Welcome, let’s dive right in!

The 2022 edition of the ISWA World Congress was held in Singapore 21-23 September 2022. Take a look at the recap here: #ISWA2022 – Singapore slings ISWA back into a physical World Congress! | ISWA

The ISWA World Congress has been hosted by 28 countries over the last 50 years. Please see the map below and an overview of the cities and countries in which the Congress has taken place.

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

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.