Overview
On October 6–7, 2016, the Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WtERT) hosted its Bi-Annual Conference at Columbia University in the City of New York. The conference brought together leading academics, industry experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the global WtERT network to exchange knowledge on the latest developments in sustainable waste management and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies.
Continuing WtERT’s tradition, the 2016 meeting served as a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, bridging science, engineering, policy, and real-world implementation to advance circular economy solutions.
Conference Highlights
- International participation from universities, industry leaders, and public-sector stakeholders
- Technical presentations and research exchanges covering key WtE technologies and policies
- Student and researcher engagement, including poster presentations and emerging research topics
- Strong emphasis on global perspectives, including developments in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia
Like previous editions, the conference reinforced WtERT’s role as a global knowledge hub connecting academia and industry in advancing sustainable waste solutions .
Key Themes & Topics
The 2016 conference program focused on major pillars of sustainable waste management:
- Advances in Waste-to-Energy technologies
(combustion, gasification, and resource recovery systems) - Circular economy and material recovery
(integration of recycling, energy recovery, and landfill diversion) - Environmental performance and emissions control
(air quality, dioxins, and regulatory frameworks) - Global case studies and policy developments
(including rapid expansion of WtE in Asia and Europe) - Innovation and research from WtERT academic partners
These themes align with WtERT’s broader mission to promote best available technologies (BAT) for recovering energy and materials from residual waste .
- Conference Program
- WtERT Awards dinner
Speakers & Presentations
Keynote & Opening
- Prof. Nickolas Themelis, Chair, Global WTERT Council; Director, EEC-Columbia University – Welcome and introduction to WtERT 2016 Meeting
- Stephen Jones, CEO Covanta Energy – Looking into the future of the U.S. WTE industry
- Chen Xiaoping, CEO China Everbright International – The 21st century Chinese WTE industry
- Julia Watsford, VP Strategic Planning, Wheelabrator Technologies – Role of WTE in sustainable waste management
- Kathryn Garcia, Commissioner, Dept. of Sanitation, New York City – Managing the MSW of a megacity
Session 1:
- Antonis Mavropoulos, President International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) – The 4th Industrial Revolution and the future of waste management
- Lighea Speziale, Senior Analyst, Confederation of European WTE Plants (CEWEP) – The role of WTE in Circular Economy
- Ron Gonen, President, Closed Loop Fund, Inc. – Corporations for resource recovery
- David Biderman, Executive Director, Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) – A national waste management policy for the U.S? Obstacles and opportunities.
- Craig Cookson, Director, Recycling & Energy Recovery, American Chemistry Council – Advocacy to advance the recovery of non-recycled plastics (NPR)
- Helmut Rechberger, Director, Waste and Resource Management Center, Technical University of Vienna – One-year monitoring of biogenic and fossil carbon emissions from WTE plants in Austria
- Victor de Avila Rueda, Director, Strategy and Development, SACYR, Spain and U.S.A. – The SACYR integrated waste management in Spain and potential for application in the U.S.
- Peter Chromec, Senior Sales Director, Hitachi Zosen Inova, Switzerland – Increasing energy and materials recovery while keeping capital cost down
- Ralf Koralewska, Senior Research Engineer, Martin GmbH, Germany – Martin technologies for the future
Session 2:
- Qunxing Huang, Professor, Inst. Thermal Process Eng. Zhejiang University, China; WTERT-China – Growth of the Circulating Fluid Bed WTE in China
- Joost Boggemann, VP, Inashco, Netherlands and U.S.A. – Advances in the Inashco, metals recovery process
- Ljupka Arsova, Senior Consultant, GBB, Inc., U.S.A. – Prospects for anaerobic digestion
- Marco Castaldi, Director, Earth Engineering Center, City College of New York – WTERT Research at City College of New York (CCNY-CUNY)
- Dan Pellowitz, Managing Director, Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority, Florida; recipient of 2016 WTERT Award – Palm Beach County experience with PB-REF#1 WTE plant, resulting to building of PB-REF#2
Session 3:
- Stefano Consonni, Director MatER, Politecnico di Milano – Waste management research in Italy
- Werner Bauer, Director Ia Gmbh, Director, WtERT Germany – Waste management progress in Germany and Eastern Europe
- Stuart Wagland, Professor, Cranfield University, U.K. – Thermal Treatment of MSW in the U.K.
- Yong-Chil Seo, Professor, Yonsei University, Korea – Waste management practice and research in Korea
Session 4:
- Sunil Kumar, Senior Scientist, NEERI – Waste management in India
- Sergio Guerreiro, Head WtERT Brazil – Waste management in Brazil
- Alex Godoy, University del Desarollo, Chile; Head, WTERT-Chile – Waste management in Chile and Latin America
- Kostas Aravossis, National Technical University of Athens; Head, WTERT-Greece – WTE opportunities in Greece and the Balkans
- Nelson Remulla, WTERT-Philippines – The newest WTERT national member: Philippines
- A.C. (Thanos) Bourtsalas, Columbia University, WTERT- Columbia – Life Cycle Analysis of processes for resource recovery from WtE bottom ash
- Daniele Coppola, Magaldi Power (Italy and U.S.) – Dry incinerator bottom ash handling system
Conference Photo Gallery
Poster Session
The WtERT 2016 meeting included a poster session showcasing emerging research, early-stage technologies, and academic contributions in waste-to-energy and sustainable waste management.
- Danyi Yan – Application of Thermal Spray Techniques for Combatting High Temperature Corrosion in Waste-to-Energy Boilers
- Global WtERT Council – Recent Achievements, Earth Engineering Center, Columbia University
- Yi Xu – Life Cycle Analysis of Processes for Resource Recovery from Waste-to-Energy Bottom Ash
WtERT 2016 Awards
Welcome by Ms. Susan Raila, HDR and Chair of MER-ASME; Presentation of 2016 WTERT Award to Solid Waste Authority (SWA) of Palm Beach County, Florida for their integrated waste management system and the new 3,000 ton/day Renewable Energy Facility No. 2, the first U.S.WTE project of its size in the 21st century. The Award will be received by Mr. Dan Pellowitz, Managing Director of SWA.
