The Waste Crime and Circular Economy Minister Emma Hardy MP will deliver a keynote address at the ISWA World Congress 2026 in London next week.
Her appearance at the Congress comes as the UK Government continues to implement major reforms across recycling, packaging, and waste tracking, as well as policies to tackle waste crime.
The timing also coincides with the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference in Turkey, with 11 November designated as a Zero Waste thematic day.
Speaking ahead of her appearance, Hardy said: “As we gather at the ISWA World Congress 2026, it’s clear that the waste and resource management sector is at the forefront of our efforts to build a sustainable future.”
“This government is taking action to tackle the challenges facing the sector, from cracking down on waste crime to supporting the transition to a circular economy where we use things for longer and products are built to last. I look forward to meeting and speaking to attendees later this month.”
Hardy will address delegates at the QEII Centre on Wednesday 11 November during the three-day ISWA World Congress, which is returning to the UK for the first time in 30 years.
The event is expected to bring together around 1,000 waste, resources and circular economy professionals from more than 65 countries, with some 200 speakers and 120 technical sessions.
The Congress, which is hosted by CIWM in partnership with the International Solid Waste Association, will focus on some of the most pressing issues facing the sector globally.
This includes political commitment, waste planning, investment and the economics of waste, social value, environmental protection, and the transition towards a more circular economy.
Commenting on the announcement, Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at CIWM, said they are pleased to welcome Minister Hardy to the ISWA World Congress.
“Her attendance underlines the vital and increasingly significant role that professional resources and waste sector services play in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits in the UK and beyond,” Cooke said.
“The Congress in London provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring together policymakers, businesses, city and municipal leaders, and waste and resource professionals from the UK, Europe and around the world to share knowledge, learn from international best practice and identify practical approaches to accelerate progress towards better resource use and circular economies.”
