Overview
The 2004 WtERT Fall Meeting marked a historic milestone as it hosted the first-ever WtERT Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding global contributions to sustainable waste management. Held at Columbia University, the conference convened leading experts from academia, industry, and government to advance the role of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) in integrated waste management systems.
Key themes included:
- Global deployment of WtE technologies
- Scientific advancements in combustion and material recovery
- Policy and institutional frameworks for sustainable waste management
The meeting was held in conjunction with the 250th Anniversary of Columbia University, underscoring its academic importance.
Conference Program
Day 1 – October 7, 2004
- Opening Address
- Prof. Nickolas J. Themelis (Chair, WtERT Council)
- Keynote Lectures (Awardees)
- Johannes Martin (Martin GmbH) “Global use and future prospects of waste-to-energy technologies”
- Prof. George Tchobanoglous (UC Davis) “Integrated Waste Management in the U.S.”
- International Session
- Singapore, Brazil, Netherlands, Italy, China, Ukraine
- Topics ranged from urban waste crises to advanced incineration technologies
- Academic Research Session
- Heavy metals behavior in combustion
- Enhanced combustion technologies
- Ash management and material recovery
- Modeling and optimization of WtE systems
- Poster Session
- Cutting-edge research from Columbia University and international collaborators
- Topics included:
- Waste plastics conversion
- Gasification technologies
- Particle analysis in WtE systems
Day 2 – October 8, 2004
- U.S. Waste Management Session
- Status of WtE in the United States
- Evaluation of alternative waste technologies
- Policy and political challenges in urban waste systems
- Panel Discussion
- “What is needed to advance waste-to-energy as an accepted integrated waste management option?”
- Key stakeholders from academia, policy, and industry
International & Technical Presentations
- Dr. Marco Castaldi – Columbia University | Application of Enhanced Combustion to Waste-to-Energy Systems
- Dr. Mario Grosso – Politecnico di Milano, Italy | Waste Management in Italy
- Dr. Lawrence Koe – Nanyang Technological University, Singapore | Waste Management and WtE Status in Singapore
- Dr. Chongqing Lu – Zhejiang University, China | MSW Characteristics and Fluidized Bed Incineration in China
- Dr. Karsten Millrath – Columbia University | Progress of the University Ash Consortium
- Masato Nakamura – Columbia University | Modeling of Flow and Mixing on WtE Grates
- Dr. Markus Reuter – Delft University of Technology, Netherlands | High Temperature Furnaces as “Closers” of the Material Cycle
- Dr. Sergio Ribeiro – Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission | Waste Crisis in Brazil: Opportunities for WtE in Rio de Janeiro
- Prof. Nickolas J. Themelis – Columbia University | Advances in Integrated Waste Management (2003–2004)
- Dr. Borys Tymoshevskyy – National Shipbuilding University, Ukraine | Resource Recovery from Medical, Plastic, and Rubber Wastes
- Dr. Jürgen Vehlow – Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany | Behavior of Heavy Metals in Waste Combustion
- Keith Weitz – RTI International | Evaluation of Waste Disposal and Alternative Technologies
- Maria Zannes – Integrated Waste Services Association (IWSA) | Current Status of Waste-to-Energy in the United States
WtERT 2004 Awards Ceremony
The first WtERT Awards were presented during the official dinner at the Low Rotunda, Columbia University, honoring exceptional contributions to global waste management.
Industry Award – 2004
Martin GmbH (Germany)
- Technology deployed in over 300 WtE plants across 26 countries
- A global benchmark in thermal waste treatment
- Award accepted by Ludwig von Mutius
Education Award – 2004
Prof. George Tchobanoglous (UC Davis)
- Leading authority in integrated waste management
- Author of seminal textbooks and scientific publications
