One of the greatest challenges facing this year’s International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress hosts, the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), is catering to the overwhelming amount of interest expressed in this year’s event.

The event, being organised by event coordinators Cebisa, is being held for the first time on African shores and will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from September 15 to 18.

“This positive issue has shown that there is great demand for and interest in investing in waste management and a move to a circular economy on the African continent,” says ISWA 2024 chairperson and former IWMSA president Mpendulo Ginindza.

She adds that the organisers have sold about 80 exhibition booths this year which is quadruple the number of booths sold last year.

Further, the organisers are expecting between 850 and 1 000 attendees, which is also a substantial increase on attendance at the ISWA Congress held in Muscat, Oman, last year.

“We received a staggering 415 abstract submissions from all over the globe and have accepted 360 of them as either oral or poster presentations,” she enthuses.

IWMSA has extended an invitation to senior City of Cape Town politician Ian Neilson as well as Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George to attend, as both the city and department are strategic partners for the congress.

Key Attendance

A confirmed keynote speaker at this year’s event is global sustainability ambassador, environmental enthusiast, social entrepreneur, and an influential figure in the realm of women in manufacturing, Mary Ngechu.

Ngechu will expand on the topic ‘Innovation: The critical link that loops waste back to wealth – An exegesis of Ecoloop’s journey of growth’.

Additionally, a talk on ‘What will it take to fix South Africa’s broken waste management system?’ will be hosted by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research principal scientist Professor Linda Godfrey, who holds a PhD in Engineering and teaches at North-West University, in South Africa.

“Those in attendance will learn that ISWA 2024 offers a platform for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, techniques and technologies,” lauds Ginindza.

She explains that the event will promote and develop sustainable and professional waste management in Africa and the transition to a circular economy.

Further goals include bringing together waste experts from around the world to network, create best practices and produce industry reports.

“We also want to foster and encourage the development and training of waste management professionals in Africa,” she says, adding that the event will stimulate knowledge and skills transfer.

Another topic being discussed is international cooperation in waste management to generate innovations, ideas and research agendas – a topic that will hopefully lead to successes and implementation support in Africa’s economies.

ISWA 2024 will not only stimulate foreign direct investment in Africa but will also promote resource efficiency through sustainable production and consumption in Africa, and provide an opportunity to showcase the best available technologies and practices to African citizens.

One Man’s Trash

“This year’s theme ‘Waste to Wealth: Solutions for a Sustainable Future’ reminds us that, what some might consider waste can be used to generate an income for someone else,” Ginindza says.

She also stresses that everyone needs to contribute to sustainable waste management activities, and this conference aims to get people talking about possibilities and means of achieving this outcome.

She points out that it means a great deal to IWMSA to know that this event could open the door to increased investment towards environmentally sustainable waste management in South Africa and Africa, more generally.

She says she hopes that, through the hosting of a successful event, IWMSA will see many of the attendees return to Cape Town in the near future.

“We have a lot to offer, and we are looking forward to showing the world how we can not only assist but excel,” concludes Ginindza.