Programme

The conference will be packed full of discussion points and centering on the new strategy, its recommendations and implementation. Expect to hear from experts on single-use plastics bans and taxes, DRS, Secondary material markets, Producer Responsibility, recycling targets and food waste.

Throughout the conference highly interactive sessions will provide ample opportunity for debate, with day one’s practitioner-focused breakout workshops specifically focusing on areas of challenge or change.

Day 1

9.00 – 09.30 - Registration

Opportunity for networking

9.30 – 10.00 - Keynote Address

RT Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (invited)

10.00 – 11.00 - Opening Debate

The Resources & Waste Strategy for England – “landmark blueprint” or “damp squib”?

Chair: Anna McMorrin MP (invited)

Panellists from the conference partners debate the highs and lows of the new strategy

Speakers Include

  • Trevor Nicoll, Senior Vice President CIWM & Head of Shared Waste Services for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Council
  • Jacob Hayler, Executive Director, Environmental Services Association
  • Ray Georgeson MBE, Chief Executive, Resource Association
  • Peter Maddox, Director, WRAP

11.00 – 11.30 – Break

Opportunity for networking.

11.30 – 13.00 – EPR: packaging and beyond - in collaboration with

Against the backdrop of the Government consultations earlier in the year, this session will explore how Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging is taking shape to deliver better outcomes across the supply chain and how similar principles and approaches could be applied to EPR frameworks for other waste streams.

Chair: Julie Hill, Chair, WRAP

Speakers include:

  • Dr Dominic Hogg, Chairman, Eunomia Research & Consulting – latest thinking and next steps on packaging EPR
  • Robbie Staniforth, Head of Policy, Ecosurety – the future for WEEE and batteries
  • Dr Adam Read, External Affairs Director, Suez – the potential for textiles EPR
  • Hege Sæbjørnsen, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA Group, UK & IE (invited) – EPR, circular economy models and the consumer interface
  • Laure Cucuron, General Manager, TerraCycle Europe - pushing the boundaries of EPR

13.00 – 14.00 – Lunch

Opportunity for networking, food and drink.

Stream one:

Stream two:

Food waste prevention & recycling

Packaging - in collaboration with

14.00 – 15.30 Part 1: Food Waste Prevention

14.00 – 15.30 Part 1: Packaging: design for better outcomes

Chair: Paul Vanston, Chief Executive, Incpen

Speakers include:

  • Ben Elliot, Food Surplus and Waste Champion – the challenges and opportunities
  • Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive, FareShare UK
  • Andrew Parry, Special Advisor - Food & Drink, WRAP – Making food waste prevention a reality and reporting on progress
  • Andy Griffiths, Head of Value Chain Sustainability, Nestlé (invited)

Chair: Ed Kosior, Managing Director, Nextek Ltd

Speakers include:

  • Natasha Cook, Packaging Manager, Morrisons (invited)
  • Kinza Sutton, Head of Public Affairs, Plastipak
  • Prof Rob Holdway, Founder, Giraffe Innovation & Professor Associate at Brunel School of Engineering & Design – the design challenge
  • Dr Volker Rehrmann, Head of TOMRA Sorting Solutions – innovations in sorting and tracking technology

15.30 – 16.00 – Break

Opportunity for networking.

16.00 – 17.30 Part 2: Separate collection & treatment

16.00 – 17.30 Part 2: Innovation: the future of plastics

Speakers include:

  • Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive, ADBA – the outlook for AD and biogas
  • Pamela Lloyd, Commercial Director, Severn Trent Green Power – building the right relationships
  • Jane Gilbert, Director, Carbon Clarity – composting and the soil health agenda
  • Martin Doherty, Project Manager, Belfast City Council
  • Hackney LBC, speaker tbc

Speakers include:

  • Dr John Williams, Technical Director, BBIA – bio-based and biodegradable plastics
  • Paul Davidson, Market Development Engineer, SABIC – waste plastics as chemical feedstocks
  • Dr Sally Beken, UK Circular Plastics Network Lead, Knowledge Transfer Network – Government intervention and support for innovation
  • Helen Bird, Resource Management Specialist, WRAP – the recycled content challenge

17.30 - 18.30 – Drinks Reception

Join your peers, exhibitors and speakers over a drink and discuss the hot topics of the day.


Day 2

9.00 – 9.30 - Registration

Opportunity for networking.

9.30 – 10.00 - Keynote Address

Keynote - tbc

10.00 – 11.30 - Secondary materials markets: challenges and opportunities

This session will explore what trends and developments are shaping global markets for secondary materials and what is needed to create more UK market demand for recycled materials so that the UK can realise the economic benefits and stop “offshoring our waste for others to deal with”.

Chair: Dr Robine Van Dooren, Lead International Green Deal, North Sea Resources Roundabout

Speakers include:

  • Simon Duddy, Director of Business Development, Office for National Statistics – developing a National Materials Datahub
  • Libby Peake, Senior Policy Advisor, Green Alliance – the size of the prize
  • Simon Rutledge, Group External Affairs & Sustainability Manager, Biffa Waste Services – developing UK plastics reprocessing
  • Rick Hindley, Executive Director, Alupro – new opportunities for aluminium
  • Libby Sandbrook, Head of Circular Economy, Business in the Community – collaborative action for great circularity

11.30 – 12.00 - Coffee

Opportunity for networking.

12.00 – 13.00 - Intelligence-based approaches to waste and materials data, tracking and crime prevention

This session will unpack the range of initiatives currently underway to improve data on waste and secondary materials to support resource efficiency, develop early warning protocols to prevent waste crime and tighten up on waste exports.

Chair: Stuart Hayward-Higham, Technical Development Director, Suez

Speakers include:

  • Phil Conran, 360 Environmental - a whole system approach to data and compliance
  • Simone Aplin, Technical Director, Anthesis – is smart waste tracking feasible and can Vastum provide the solution?
  • Chris Smith, National Intelligence Manager, Environment Agency
  • Ray Purdy, Director, Air and Space Evidence (invited) – using satellite imagery to spot waste crime

13.00 – 14.00 - Lunch

Opportunity for networking, food and drink.

14.00 – 15.45 - Collection consistency for households and businesses: quality materials, quality services

This session will explore what consistency means at a practical level, including service configuration, contracts, MRF infrastructure, and the implications of engaging businesses as well as householders.

Speakers include:

  • Chris Mills, Special Adviser, WRAP
  • Richard Kirkman, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer UK & Ireland, Veolia
  • Natasha Epstein, Chair of the Waste Network Chairs & ALCO
  • Bruce Bratley, Chief Executive, First Mile
  • Anthony Buchan, Head of Programme, Resource London - working towards 65% recycling by 2030

15.45 – 16.00 - Summary & Close


Book your place