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A world of difference

For a packed programme covering carbon impacts to communications, visit the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Annual Conference & Exhibition

With the CIWM conference celebrating its 110th anniversary, it is an opportune time to look at the progress that has been made since 1898, when members of the Institute (then the Association of Cleansing Superintendents) gathered in Birmingham for the first AGM and Annual Conference. And the end result of this exercise has been to marvel both at how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same.

As an industry, we are still responsible for the day to day collection, treatment and disposal of society’s rubbish - and apart from much less ash and a lot more packaging and food waste, its basically still the same stuff. We recycle a lot more than 10 years ago, but probably not much more than we did during the 1st and 2nd World Wars - and certainly re-use was more prevalent back then than it is today.

What has changed radically, however, is the whole rationale behind waste management and the environment (in the wider sense of the word) in which all those involved in waste now operate. James Jackson, one of the two founding members of the Association, said its purpose was “to advance sanitary provision, which being defective in most towns and cities continued to result in excessive death rates”. Today it is not only health and amenity that matter but the impact of waste on the wider environment and the contribution that sustainable waste management can make on resource conservation and tackling climate change.

Waste is also no longer something that is dealt with out of sight and out of mind. Modern waste management means partnerships between the public and the private sector, between local authorities and their residents, between materials reprocessors and manufacturers, and between policy makers and the media.

Unprecedented change
The result of this is that the management of resources and wastes is going through a period of unprecedented change and the impacts are being felt throughout society. The decision making process has become vastly more complex, just at the moment when we have some big questions to resolve about the future. Everyone agrees that the desired outcome is a much more sustainable approach to resources and wastes management that derives the maximum value from our waste and ensures the minimum environmental impact, but there is plenty of debate about what strategies and technologies we need to achieve this.

The implications of this change for all those involved in planning and delivering waste management solutions and services are the subject of this year’s CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) Conference in Paignton on 10-13th June.

“We are at a turning point and there are some big questions about what the future will look like,” says CIWM Chief Executive Steve Lee. “We all agree that the desired outcome is a much more sustainable approach to resources and wastes management that derives the maximum value from our waste and ensures the minimum environmental impact, but there is plenty of debate about what strategies and technologies we need to achieve this.”

The CIWM 2008 Conference
The CIWM 2008 Conference aims to provide delegates with the knowledge they need to constructively engage in this debate. Over 100 speakers from industry, government, academia and key agencies and organisations will explore the issues from every angle; from the carbon impact of our UK waste management strategies through to the role of communications in maintaining public engagement and from smarter regulation through to the best ways of financing and procuring the infrastructure of the future.

Following a lively opening session with speakers from key players, including Environment Agency Chief Executive Barbara Young and Mark Shayler, managing director of eco3, the conference will kick off with a new session introduced this year for professionals who are new to waste and elected members who have taken on responsibility in this area. Providing a thorough introduction to the industry, the legislation and the wider environmental context, elected members will find it provides them with accurate and impartial information to inform the decision making process at local level - where many of the hardest decisions have to be made.

High level strategy is the focus of one of the afternoon sessions on day one, which will explore the UK’s waste strategies and how to achieve the increasingly challenging landfill diversion and recycling targets that are being set for both municipal and commercial and industrial waste. As well as key organisations, including the Environmental Services Association, all three devolved administrations will be represented, with Dr Andy Rees, head of Waste Strategy for the Welsh Assembly Government, John Briggs of Arc 21 in Northern Ireland and Joanna Muse of SEPA.

The alternative afternoon session focuses on the challenges for a particular sector, the construction industry, which has already made great strides in improving it waste and resource management and is gearing itself to make many more changes. Organised in conjunction with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), it will look at a range of issues including resource flows within the construction sector, waste management and recycling infrastructure and standards. Speakers will include Lisa Eve, Senior Project Manager for Woolf Ltd, on sustainability in waste infrastructure projects, Katherine Adams from BRE on a new toolkit for predicting waste production against construction type, and a speaker for Ethos Recycling who will talk delegates through its award winning materials recycling programme for Heathrow Terminal 5.

During the second and third day of the conference, all the key issues and technology choices will be covered. Focused at the top of the waste hierarchy and being run jointly with Defra, the session on waste prevention will explore ways of encouraging major behaviour change by both consumers and businesses. Recovery and recycling are well represented too, with a wide range of both established and newer technology options - including composting and anaerobic digestion, MBT and thermal treatment - included in the programme. Picking up on highly topical issues, there are also sessions on communications and engagement, recycling quality and end markets, and packaging, where the role of smarter design, lightweighting and biodegradable materials will be discussed.

Adding a further dimension, this year’s conference will incorporate the 6th International Symposium on Waste Treatment Technologies. Run by Sheffield University Waste Incineration Centre (SUWIC), the Symposium will cover a range of topics, including the carbon footprint of thermal treatment, advanced technologies such as gasification and pyrolysis, and the latest in flue gas emission control.

The CIWM 2008 Exhibition
Running alongside the conference, the CIWM 2008 Exhibition will provide delegates and visitors with access to the latest technology innovations, products and services, as well as live vehicle and equipment demonstration areas. With over 300 exhibitors, the show brings visitors face to face with all the major waste industry names, as well as many of the new innovators who are coming into this vibrant and fast developing sector. Reflecting the fact that waste has become an important issue across all areas of business and industry, major players from other important sectors are also exhibiting this year, including facilities management company Kier Street Services and Fitzpatrick, one of the UK’s largest construction and civil engineering contractors.

Live and interactive
There will be plenty of inspiration at CIWM 2008 for those responsible for waste handling and transport who have to juggle multiple priorities including improved efficiency, rising fuel costs, and carbon impact considerations, not to mention the ever present health and safety considerations.

Satellite vehicle demonstrations will be among the main attractions at the Vehicle Health & Safety Demonstration Area on North Green, which is sponsored this year by Ecofar UK and supported by Woodend Municipal and Terberg Matec. Making its first appearance in the UK will be Ecofar’s 44m3 semi trailer, and visitors interested in reducing fuel costs and crew downtime will be able to see first hand how satellite operations can work.

Already an established highlight of the show, the JCB Recycling Equipment Demonstration area will be much closer to hand this year. Located on North Green, it will give visitors the opportunity to see the latest materials handling and loading solutions for plastics, wood, WEEE and white goods handling, as well as kerbside collection, green waste compaction and bale handling.

Building on its success in 2007, this year’s Transport Hub is being run jointly with the Freight Transport Association and will provide a rolling 3-day programme of seminars looking at the latest legislation and issues, including:
Managing risk for local authorities:

* Chris Ruane, Freight Transport Association - an overview of the corporate manslaughter and work-related road safety issues that apply across the diverse fleets of cars, vans and trucks operated by local authorities.
* Driver CPC: Sally Thornley, Waste Transport Association - an update on the new legislative requirements for driver training that will be implemented for LGVs in Sept 09 and PCVs in Sept 08.
* Reducing Carbon Emissions: Shaun Hamilton, Ecofar - how using smaller satellite vehicles and ‘bulking up’ can cut fuel costs and reduce the carbon footprint of waste management operations.
* Courtesy of Woodend Municipal, visitors to the Transport Hub can also try their hand at winning a pair of Manchester United tickets in a competition to identify photographs of vintage and modern waste collection vehicles.

For more information
For more information about the CIWM 2008, including conference booking details and free registration for the exhibition, visit www.ciwmshow.com or email events@ciwm.co.uk