The symposium is organized with ATIA ISWA Italia, the Italian Branch of the International Solid Waste Association, and focuses on advanced, integrated approaches to waste management that transform heterogeneous waste streams into valuable materials and sustainable energy carriers. Emphasis is placed on circular economy strategies, hybrid waste‑to‑energy systems, and emerging technologies such as AI‑based sorting, chemical recycling, anaerobic digestion, and thermochemical conversion. The session brings together policymakers, researchers, and industrial stakeholders to examine technological readiness, scalability, sustainability performance, and regulatory challenges in closing material and energy loops. Open to scientific and technical contributions from researchers and industry participants, the day-long symposium aims to provide an up-to-date view of the potential of the waste-energy-material nexus. Participants will gain actionable insights into emerging waste management technologies and have opportunities to network and collaborate on future projects.
Waste as a Resource: Integrated Technologies for Material and Sustainable Energy Recovery
Symposium overview
The symposium explores waste management as an essential pillar of the circular economy, integrating prevention, material recovery, and energy recovery in alignment with the waste hierarchy. It recognizes waste as a valuable source of raw materials and an energy resource, emphasizing the need for coherent technological solutions, regulatory compliance, and societal acceptance for effective valorization.
The symposium focuses on integrated waste-to-resource strategies that go beyond single-technology approaches, promoting the efficient recovery of materials and energy while minimizing environmental impacts and residual waste streams.
Policy and technical context
European and national policies increasingly endorse the preservation of material value prior to energy recovery, the reduction of landfill through optimized recovery processes, the application of Best Available Techniques, and transparent environmental performance evaluation. Within this policy landscape, waste management systems are transitioning toward multi-technology platforms, combining sorting, biological, thermochemical, and chemical processes. These advancements are supported by decision-support tools, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic analyses, driving the evolution of sustainable waste management practices.
Scope and objectives
The symposium is designed to foster a balanced, evidence-driven dialogue on how advanced technologies can effectively close material and energy loops within integrated waste management systems. Central to its purpose is an examination of the current landscape and maturity of innovative waste-to-resource solutions, bringing clarity to how these technologies are being implemented and to their readiness for broader adoption. The discussion extends to the evaluation of integration strategies, focusing on approaches that maximize recovery efficiency and enhance system adaptability. Operational, regulatory, and sustainability factors are critically assessed, highlighting the complexities and constraints encountered when scaling up these technologies for widespread use. Furthermore, the symposium encourages the exchange of industrial experiences and best practices, aligning with the standards set by ATIA ISWA Italia to ensure knowledge sharing is both practical and consistent with established guidelines. Through this multifaceted approach, participants are expected to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role advanced technologies play in advancing circular-economy objectives and sustainable waste-management practices.
Main thematic areas
The symposium will address:
- Advanced sorting and material recovery, including AI‑based technologies to improve the quality and stability of recovered fractions.
- Biological treatment of bio‑waste and sludge, with emphasis on anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, digestate quality, and integration within regional waste management systems.
- Thermochemical and chemical recycling pathways (pyrolysis, gasification, chemical recycling of plastics), focusing on feedstock quality, product consistency, scalability, and environmental control.
- Integrated and hybrid plants, combining renewable energy sources and multiple treatment routes (e.g. photovoltaics, anaerobic digestion, thermochemical conversion) to enhance overall system efficiency.
- Assessment tools and decision support, including LCA, multi‑criteria analysis, and techno‑economic evaluation to support policy‑consistent choices.
Format and expected outcomes
The symposium will include policy‑oriented invited contributions, industrial case studies, and moderated technical discussions. Particular attention will be given to operational data, lessons learned, and trade-offs among material recovery, energy recovery, environmental protection, and economic viability.
The expected outcome is a shared, policy-consistent understanding of how integrated waste-to-resource systems can contribute to sustainable waste management, energy transition, and circular economy objectives.
