Papers and Reports

Plastic Recycling

Can advanced sorting contribute to plastic circularity in Europe?

A new report, researched and written by Eunomia Research and Consulting on behalf of Amcor and TOMRA, analyses how marker and object recognition sorting technology can contribute to circularity and traceability in plastic packaging recycling in Europe.

Jul 19, 2024

Reading time: about 3 minutes

Launched at IFAT

CALC Handbook on Assessing Circularity in Cities

At IFAT members of the Circular and Low Carbon Cities (CALC) project team pre-launched the final CALC publication, Assessing Circularity in...
Jul 11, 2024

Reading time: about 3 minutes
#circular economy

#climate change
ISWA and UNEP present

The Global Waste Management Outlook 2024

A call for action to catalyse collective efforts towards an improved waste management system based on a holistic 3D perspective.
Apr 5, 2024

Reading time: about 4 minutes
#climate change

#pollution
Reuse

System Change to Circular Economy and its Impact on the Waste Management Sector

To achieve a true circular economy a radical system change is essential. This also means that recycling cannot be the major tool to be...
Mar 28, 2024

Reading time: about 17 minutes
#circular economy

#collection and handling
The evolution of waste management

Learning from the past to plan for the future

Career consultant, Visiting Professor at Imperial College London and ISWA Honorary Life Member, David C. Wilson, introduces his witness...
Mar 19, 2024

Reading time: about 11 minutes
#collection and handling

#recycling
UNEP’s Global Waste Management Outlook 2024

UN report: World must move beyond waste era and turn rubbish into resource

The Global Waste Management Outlook shows the urgent need to decouple waste generation from economic growth and shift to zero waste and...
Feb 28, 2024

Reading time: about 3 minutes
#circular economy

#climate change
ISWA study

Potential for women to tackle climate crisis - with the right support

The solid waste management (SWM) sector attracts well educated, highly motivated, impact driven and ambitious women, according to the...
Feb 1, 2024

Reading time: about 3 minutes
#circular economy

#climate change

New research on landfill leachates

How detection wells converted to low-discharge pumping wells can help stabilise leachate plumes from landfills

Dr. Paul Hudak from the Department of Geography and the Environment at the University of North Texas writes about a study on detection...
Jan 26, 2024

Reading time: about 7 minutes
#landfill

#research
Pollution

Global Waste Index: Ranking the biggest waste polluters worldwide

The comprehensive analysis ranks 38 member states of the OECD according to the environmental impact of their waste management.
Nov 8, 2023

Reading time: about 3 minutes
#business news

#press release
Opportunities to overcome barriers in waste management:

Innovative product cycles for a circular economy

How can a circular economy solution be more effective than traditional waste management? How can money be made with circular business...
Aug 28, 2023

Reading time: about 5 minutes
#circular economy

#innovation
Material and energetic use of biowaste

Biogas: An important contribution to climate and resource protection

This article discusses the current and future role of material and energetic uses of biogenic residues and wastes. Climate and resource...
Jul 31, 2023

Reading time: about 11 minutes
#anaerobic digestion

#biogas
Transboundary movement of discarded EEE

Global e-waste flows monitor 2022

E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. And it is amongst the top three waste categories illicitly traded. Researchers from...
Jul 24, 2023

Reading time: about 7 minutes
#e-waste

#pollution
Examination of environmental concerns

National Environmental Services Survey urges collaborative action at Environmental Services & Solutions Expo

The National Environmental Services Survey was conducted in close collaboration with experts and stakeholders from across the UK.
Jul 3, 2023

Reading time: about 2 minutes
#business news

#event
Innovative approaches to deal with biowaste

Biowaste collection and valorisation: Problems and solutions

Too much organic waste still ends up in landfills or incineration. The EU funded SCALIBUR project concentrated on innovative solutions to...
Jan 17, 2023

Reading time: about 7 minutes
#biowaste

#collection and handling
How to minimize food waste

Food waste in India: Prevention strategies and outcomes

Data shows that millions of tonnes of food end up being thrown away each and every year in India. A recent study wants to understand the...
Dec 7, 2022

Reading time: about 14 minutes
#biowaste

#circular economy
Recycling

The policy conflict between circularity and toxicity

It is well known that informal recycling, for example when e-waste is burnt uncontrolled to access precious metals, spread hazardous...
Nov 15, 2022

Reading time: about 3 minutes
#circular economy

#collection and handling
Greenhouse gas emissions

Are plastics better than their alternatives when it comes to GHG?

In a recent report, McKinsey examines the performance of plastics against its most used alternatives in regard of their greenhouse gas...
Aug 4, 2022

Reading time: about 2 minutes
#business news

#circular economy
Alternative fuels for waste collection

Alternative fuels, different views

A new report by ISWA’s Working Group on Collection and Transportation Technology (WGCTT) explores the adoption of alternative fuels for...
Jul 27, 2022

Reading time: about 8 minutes
#collection and handling

#digitisation
Circularity

Dilemmas of CALCulating Circularity in Cities

What can we as the global solid waste sector do in practice to contribute to circularity. That was the main question of the Circular and...
Jun 27, 2022

Reading time: about 6 minutes
#circular economy

#research
Biomethane

Biowaste to Biomethane: Italy is stepping up its game

The increasing role of biomethane production in the circular economy applied to biowaste recycling in Italy: current status and outlook for...
Jun 9, 2022

Reading time: about 6 minutes
#anaerobic digestion

#biogas
Blue Economy

Circularity and Blue Economy in the Caribbean: Drivers and Business Opportunities

This report by Patrick Dorvil and Clifford Louime highlights the importance of proper waste management on the way to a sustainable future...
Feb 28, 2022

Reading time: about 28 minutes
#landfill

#marine litter
Recycling

Zero Waste Europe report: PET is far from real circularity

According to a new report by non-profit organisation Zero Waste Europe most Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic recovered from bottles...
Feb 16, 2022

Reading time: about 2 minutes
#circular economy

#plastic waste