WME Strategic Conference Agenda
Waste Management Europe 2026 will position itself as Europe’s practical, grounded platform for the future of waste, resources and materials security. The programme will acknowledge that circularity has become a more contested and politicised term in parts of Europe, and will instead focus on the real-world economics, infrastructure and technologies that are driving progress.
Technology, especially artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced monitoring, will feature strongly. Delegates will hear how automation and data can transform collection, sorting and recovery, how new business models can unlock value from future waste streams such as batteries and solar panels, and how cities and regions can finance and deliver the next wave of infrastructure. The overall tone will be forward-looking and optimistic, with space for open discussion on the political, financial and social barriers that still need to be addressed.
2026 Agenda
A concise welcome to set the tone for WME 2026, outlining the objectives for the two days, the shift towards resource efficiency and materials security, and how the conference and exhibition connect policy, technology and investment in a practical way.
Senior representatives from the City of Bologna and the Emilia Romagna region will highlight how waste and resource management fit within their wider strategies for climate resilience, industrial innovation and quality of life. The remarks will frame Bologna as a living laboratory for pragmatic, deployable solutions.
A national or European minister will set out how waste and resource management are becoming central to industrial policy, energy strategy and climate commitments. The keynote will address regulatory priorities, funding instruments and expectations for cities, operators and industry.
A strategic keynote on the real-world challenges Europe’s major cities face in delivering modern waste and circular economy services, balancing rising volumes, ageing infrastructure, citizen expectations, and tightening regulation. Drawing on Rome’s experience, AMA shares practical lessons from operating one of Europe’s largest municipal waste systems.
A frank discussion on how to move beyond polarised debates about circularity and focus instead on resource security, risk reduction and resilience. Panellists will explore how to keep ambition high while recognising economic and political realities in different Member States.
A moderated conversation with senior executives from leading industrial and consumer brands. The discussion will explore how waste, recycling and resource recovery are now recognised as strategic risks and opportunities by boards, and how this is changing investment decisions, product design and reporting
A two-hour window for lunch, informal networking followed by one-hour Solutions Theatre sessions/presentations.
Lunch (from 13:00), Networking & Solutions Theatre (from 14:00 – 15:00)
This session will look ahead to the waste streams that will dominate the next decade: electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbine blades, hydrogen and ammonia by products and advanced composites. Panellists will discuss technology readiness, regulatory gaps and where investment is most urgently needed
This presentation explores how data-driven virtual sensors can complement traditional CEM systems in Waste-to-Energy plants, reducing downtime and supporting operational resilience. Using historical process data, a virtual sensor model was developed for NOx, providing a proof-of-concept for continuous monitoring. While challenges remain for more complex pollutants such as mercury, the study highlights the potential and limitations of virtual sensor approaches, offering guidance for future development in plant-specific context.
The chair will pull out the key messages from Day 1 and introduce the focus for Day 2, which will look in more detail at plastics, chemicals, finance, municipal innovation and water resilience.
A senior policy or industry figure will outline the next wave of requirements facing manufacturers and industrial operators across Europe, from packaging reforms and extended producer responsibility to new rules on batteries, electronics and construction materials.
This panel will bring together regulators, industry and innovators to discuss how Europe can tackle persistent chemicals and plastic pollution without undermining competitiveness. Discussion will focus on realistic timelines, innovation in materials and the role of data and design.
A highly practical session that will explore how cities, utilities and project developers can finance new waste, recycling, WEEE, battery and wastewater projects. Panellists will cover public and private finance, blended instruments, risk sharing and what investors need to see from project sponsors
This session will look at how waste to energy, biomethane and biogenic carbon can contribute to Europe’s energy transition in a way that is scientifically robust and publicly acceptable. The conversation will cover grid integration, guarantees of origin, lifecycle accounting and communication with citizens.
A two hour window for lunch, informal networking followed by one-hour Solutions Theatre sessions/presentations.
Mayors, city waste managers and public utilities will share honest reflections on what has delivered results and what has not. Topics will include separate collection systems, pay as you throw models, citizen engagement, digital tools, procurement and collaboration with private partners.
This session will examine how climate change is reshaping water management strategies, and how wastewater treatment and reuse fit into broader resilience plans. Speakers will share case studies from cities and industries that are already reusing water at scale.
A high level closing discussion that will invite leaders from policy, industry and cities to identify the top priorities for the European waste and resource community. The debate will summarise the conference and set clear messages to carry back to Brussels and national capitals.
Bio4HUMAN is a Horizon Europe-funded initiative deploying innovative bio-based and circular solutions to tackle solid waste challenges in humanitarian contexts. It connects aid agencies and bio-industry leaders to deliver scalable, practical waste management models, with pilot implementation in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
