Waste Management 2016
8th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment
7 - 9 June 2016
Valencia, Spain
Overview
The 8th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment was held in València, organised by the Wessex Institute, represented by Prof Carlos A Brebbia, and co-chaired by Prof Hideaki Itoh, of the University of Nagoya, and Chairman of Raremetal Recovery Institute in Japan.
Previous meetings were held in a series of unique locations, starting at the University of Cadiz (2002), with which the Wessex Institute has a cooperation agreement, followed by Rhodes (2004); Malta (2006); Granada (2008); Tallinn (2010); the New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute (2012); and in the National Park of Conero in Ancona (2014).
The Conference provides a mechanism for the exchange of information on the most recent advances on waste management. It attracts professionals, as well as researchers and those in government interested in the solution of problems related to the increasing volume and complexity of the waste produced by modern society.
The meeting discussed different disposal methods with particular reference to new advances and long term solutions. The aim is to achieve sustainable strategies.
Further steps required towards the improvement of current technologies were discussed, as well as the need to increase collaboration between the public, government and private sectors resulting in an increased involvement of all stakeholders.
Opening of the Conference
The meeting was opened by Prof Carlos A Brebbia who explained the role that the WIT conference programme plays amongst the activities of the Institute dedicated to the transfer of knowledge.
WIT – Carlos said – holds approximately 20 to 25 international conferences per year, in different locations around the world. Most of them take place in Europe, with the collaboration of associated institutions, including a few in the New Forest National Park in England, where the Institute Campus is located.
Other activities for knowledge transfer are held in the WIT Campus, where Research and Development work from industrial and government bodies is also carried out. This work is based on the continuous further development of the codes based on the computer simulation method originated there. WIT – Carlos explained – is renowned throughout the world for its pioneering work on the Boundary Element Method, which has numerous applications in engineering and sciences.
Carlos then proceeded to show a few applications of Boundary Elements for the solution of a variety of problems, including corrosion of offshore structures and pipelines, modelling of electromagnetic radiation on the human body, impregnation of bandages with medical fluids, analysis of a hydroelectric turbine rotor combining fluid and structural behaviour, fracture mechanics and several others. The idea – Carlos explained – was to demonstrate the versatility of the Boundary Element Method and its robustness in engineering analysis and design.
Carlos then referred to the publication of all papers presented at Wessex Institute conferences in the WIT series and Journals. These papers are now available on the Institute’s digital library (http://www.witpress.com/elibrary) in Open Access format where they can be downloaded for free.
Carlos ended his welcoming remarks by inviting the participants to visit the WIT campus in the future so that they can appreciate better the work of the Institute. WIT is a unique institution which seeks collaboration with other organisations rather than competition.
Prof Itoh then welcomed the delegates and referred to the successful history of the conference. Scientists – from many different countries - attend this meeting and help to bring their expertise and share their knowledge through a series of discussions and informal meetings.
The importance of Waste Management in current society cannot be overestimated. It is one of the most pressing issues which needs to be resolved in order to achieve sustainability.
Because of that – Prof Itoh said - conferences such as this are important to achieve rapid and wide dissemination of the latest developments and technologies, well before the same ideas are published in the open literature.
Invited Presentations
The Conference attracted a substantial number of presentations, and some invited talks by well-known colleagues. The invited papers were:
- “Stabilization of lead in incineration fly ash by ageing and carbonation in contact with moisture and air”, by Rolf Sjoblom, Tekedo AB, Sweden.
- “Refinery waste: spent hydroprocessing catalyst and its recycling options”, by Meena Marafi, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.
- “Quantifying the environmental impact of pollutant plumes from coastal rivers with remote sensing and river basin modelling”, by Massimiliano Lega, Parthenope University of Naples, Italy.
- “Remote and proximal sensing in the fight against environmental crimes: the case study of the cattle-breeding facilities in southern Italy”, by Giuseppe Persechino, Italian Aerospace Research Center, Italy.
Conference Topics
The papers covered a wide variety of topics which were classified in the following sessions:
- Hazardous waste
- Reduce, recycle and recovery
- Health care impact
- Remote sensing
- Energy from waste
- Landfill optimisation and mining
- Pre-treatment of MSW (municipal solid waste)
- Industrial waste management
- Wastewater
Social Occasions
The delegates had many opportunities for discussions and meetings outside the conference sessions. There were extended coffee breaks and lunches, provided by the organisers.
The Scientific Advisory Committee met during the meeting to discuss how to improve the conference when it is reconvened in 2018. The meeting took place in a restaurant specialising in regional food and local wines. Valèncian cuisine is renowned for the quality and freshness of its ingredients. The recommendations offered by the Committee will be implemented in the 2018 Call for Papers. The organisers will also investigate a series of locations suggested at the meeting.
The Conference banquet took place in a renowned restaurant in the old centre of town which also offered the participants typical Valèncian dishes, including two types of rice. Valèncian cuisine has originated some of the best paellas in the world.
At the end of the dinner, Carlos thanked the delegates for having participated in the conference and spoke of the importance of these meetings to learn from each other.
He also offered them an illustrated book about the work of Calatrava, a native of València, whose work has enriched the city landscape. Next to the hotel one can admire his Place of Sciences and Arts, the elegant bridge over the old river bed, the beautiful Opera House and other creations of his unique genius, which combines structural shapes with a perception of the intrinsic beauty.
New Journal & Closing of the Conference
During the conference the idea of launching a new Journal on Environmental Impacts was discussed. The publication aims to cover the Management, Mitigation and Recovery processes and will provide an international forum to discuss the many environmental problems present in modern society and their impacts, taking into account their scientific, economic and social aspects.
The consensus was that there is a need to bridge the gap between the broad spectrum of economic and socio-political disciplines and the role of specialists in engineering, physical, biological, environmental and health sciences, amongst others.
WIT Press will shortly announce the Journal which is due to appear in the near future.
At the end of the Conference, Carlos addressed the participants once more to thank them for their participation. He also hoped that they had an opportunity to see some of the many sights that València offered, and that they will consider coming to the next conference in the series, to take place in 2018.
Related conferences
Sustainable Development and Planning 2017
Wessex Institute