WASTECON 2024 Priority Topic Areas
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Technical and executive-level education is welcomed in multiple specialty areas, including:
Waste Reduction & Recycling
- Contamination mitigation strategies
- Prevention of plastic pollution
- Update on recycling markets
- MRF upgrades and new technologies, including AI
- New models for effective MRF contracting
- Mixed waste processing facilities
- Food waste and organics management
- Funding and financing of solid waste and recycling programs and facilities, including grants, partnerships, EPR
Solid Waste & Recyclables Collection
- Transfer Stations – Fire prevention and suppression, and new technologies, including flooring, recovery of recyclables, solutions for tamping down waste
- Collection Routing and On-Demand Services – Routing and fleet management automated software systems, pay-as-you-throw systems
- Drop-off Centers – Role of drop-off centers in the collection of waste prohibited from landfill disposal and materials requiring separate recycling
- Alternative Collection Vehicle Fuels – Compressed natural gas, renewable natural gas, electricity, hydrogen fuels
- Electric Refuse Trucks – Including demonstration projects, maintenance, infrastructure to support electrical supply
- Contamination of Recyclables – Analysis and reduction methods
Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery
- Community Relations
- Cost and financing options for new/updated facilities and other capital costs
- New air pollution control regulations and standards
- Refurbishing or replacing older waste-to-energy plants
- Recovery of metals and aggregates from waste-to-energy ash
- Improving energy efficiency of waste-to-energy plants
- Rates for electricity sales through negotiation of more favorable contracts
- Comparing waste-to-energy to other treatment options for non-recycled wastes
- Comparing waste-to-energy to environmental impacts and costs of waste disposal
- The waste-to-energy landscape in western European and Asia
Landfill Management
- Innovations and use of technology in landfill gas and biogas projects
- Impact of new US incentive programs for recovery of renewable natural gas
- Renewable energy market updates and technology
- PFAS management and regulations
- Environmental justice in landfill siting
- Post-closure planning and re-use
- Lithium-ion battery disposal and fire threat mitigation
- Increased control of landfill gas emissions due to regulations
- Creative solutions to increase landfill capacity
- Technologies – Drones, satellites, thermal imaging, odor control, flexible concrete, alternative daily and final cover systems
Safety
- Best practices to embed a culture of safety
- Minimizing the financial impact of accidents
- Key elements of a sound safety plan
- Safety technologies – Cameras, automated lifting systems, vehicle safety features, telematics systems, collision avoidance systems, personal protective equipment