13th Jan 2009 - Press Release

Moving to a resource efficient future: Ministers lead the debate at Futuresource 2009

Futuresource 2009 has announced an impressive line-up of keynote speakers for its three day conference, including high-profile politicians and industry leaders who will discuss the direction that future UK waste and resource management policy should take, and the contribution it can make to tackling climate change and switching to a low carbon economy.

Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Environment Minister, Caroline Jackson MEP, Rapporteur of the European Parliament's Waste Framework Directive Committee, and Lord Chris Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, are amongst those named as speakers in today's preview of the conference, organised by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and Environmental Services Association (ESA).

The three day conference forms part of Futuresource 2009 (pronounced Future Resource), the new European event for the sustainable waste, recycling and resource management sector and its major client base. The event, which runs from 9 to 11 June at London ExCeL is expected to bring together over 300 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors and delegates from the UK, Europe and farther afield.

Commenting on the Futuresource conference programme, Steve Lee, chief executive of the CIWM, said: "This event is about our future, not just as an industry but as a society. The high profile and influential line-up of conference speakers underlines the importance of the issues that will be discussed."

Dirk Hazell, chief executive of ESA, added: "As Britain's keynote event for assessing the future of the waste and resource management industry, the Futuresource 2009 conference will bring even more dynamism and relevance to the sustainability agenda."

Today's environmental professionals have to understand and take account of a wider range of issues than ever before and there are some key questions that the industry is grappling with, such as the pressure for more waste treatment and reprocessing infrastructure, the development of capacity to generate energy from waste, and the inclusion of recycling and resource management in housing design and urban planning.

Addressing these issues in an exciting new format, the Futuresource 2009 conference programme offers a mix of lively 'head to head' debates and interactive discussion sessions, in addition to more traditional presentations and expert viewpoints. The interactive sessions will allow delegates to participate in agenda-setting industry debates and make attendance at Futuresource 2009 a must for any resource management professional who wants to influence the future of this key business sector.

Online booking for the Futuresource 2009 conference will open later this month, and more information on Futuresource 2009 is available at www.futuresourceuk.com

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Futuresource (pronounced Future Resource), organised by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) in partnership with the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and located at London ExCeL, is a major new exhibition and conference for the sustainable waste, recycling and resource management sector and its major client base. The event is managed by IWM Business Services Ltd, a wholly owned commercial subsidiary of CIWM.

2. The dynamic Futuresource 2009 conference programme, featuring interactive debate sessions, will explore all of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today. Running concurrently, the Futuresource 2009 exhibition features six themed sector areas: Waste & Water Management, Professional Services, Air & Energy, Street Scene & Facilities Management, Recycling & Composting and Vehicles & Plant.

The event is expected to bring together over 300 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors and delegates, providing unrivalled access to the latest solutions and technologies, as well as learning and networking opportunities. Full details about Futuresource 2009 and a list of exhibitors can be found at www.futuresourceuk.com

3. The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is the leading professional body for the waste management sector representing over 7000 individuals in the UK and overseas. Established in 1898, CIWM is a non profit-making organisation, dedicated to the promotion of professional competence amongst waste managers. CIWM seeks to raise standards for those working in and with the sector by producing best practice guidance, developing educational and training initiatives, and providing information on key waste-related issues. Comprehensive information about CIWM can be found at www.ciwm.co.uk

4. The Environmental Services Association (ESA) is the UK's trade association for the waste and secondary resource management sector, an industry accounting for 0.8% of GDP. Its members are organisations providing essential services to the private and public sector, and they lead the way in modernising the UK's waste management sector. ESA aims to promote the development of an economically and environmentally sustainable waste and secondary resource management industry for the UK and EU. It works with government in the UK and the European Union to achieve its aims. More detail about ESA is available at www.esauk.org

Contacts:

Pat Jennings
CIWM Communications Manager
Tel: 01604 620426
Mob: 07912 228260
E-mail: pat.jennings@ciwm.co.uk

Jill Palmer or Michael Bennett
Pelican PR
Tel: 01457 820807
Mob: 07971 126911
E-mail: jill.palmer@pelicanpr.co.uk