The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) is urging all interested and suitably qualified parties not to delay in submitting papers for consideration in respect of original content for this year’s WasteCon2012, scheduled to take place in East London from 08 – 12 October 2012.
WasteCon, which is held bi-annually under the auspices of the IWMSA, focuses on critical issues faced by those involved in waste management in South Africa. This year’s conference is titled ‘Wrestling with Waste, Employment, Environment and Engineering’. Steve Kalule, WasteCon2012 Chairman says “The word ‘Wrestling’ was identified as a key factor in describing the feeling of difficulty and the challenges experienced when managing waste and related issues. This is especially pronounced in situations, municipalities and communities with limited resources.”
Kalule continues, “The conference also aims to address the difficulties faced by the Eastern Cape as one of the poorest regions in South Africa, both in resources and knowledge, and how municipalities and communities are experimenting and succeeding in developing partnerships to create jobs and to use waste as a resource: in other words to view waste other than as a problem, but rather as a potential resource.”
The WasteCon2012 organising committee is hard at work to ensure that this waste conference meets and exceeds all expectations, and whilst still in the early organisation stages, is now calling for the submission of abstracts for original contribution to the conference. All submissions will go through a peer-review process carried out by a local review panel, and each abstract will appear in full form in the abstract book which will be handed out at the conference.
Oral papers or posters should be aligned to the theme ‘Wrestling with Waste’, and encompassing the three ‘E’s’, Employment, Environment and Engineering which includes, but is not exclusive to topics such as: waste to wages, job creation, societal benefits, recycling and reuse, the New Waste Act, licencing, groundwater monitoring, landfills, waste transfer stations and disposal. Abstracts must reach the conference secretariat by 01 February 2012 through the online abstract submission portal on the WasteCon2012 website. Those wishing to submit abstracts can find full details regarding WasteCon 2012, submissions and themes at www.wastecon.co.za.
The IWMSA focuses on providing education and training for its members, as well as facilitating interest groups who network and exchange information with like-minded individuals, as well as offering a forum to assist in having voices heard in the formulation of legislation.
The IWMSA is a non-profit organisation comprising a body of dedicated professionals in their respective fields, who give freely and voluntarily of their time and expertise in order to effectively educate, promote and further the science and practice of waste management. For more information, visit: www.iwmsa.co.za
