Industry experts are set to share knowledge on how to be more sustainable at the much anticipated Eastern Cape Conference, set to take place on 10 September 2013 at the Boardwalk Conference Centre in Port Elizabeth. This statement was made by the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) on the announcement of their Conference programme.

According to the IWMSA, government, academic and business leaders from industries across South Africa will be sharing knowledge, best practice and lessons learnt on feasible waste management solutions. A variety of topics will be discussed during the conference such as research fields; renewable energy challenges; recycling methods; sustainable technology; waste management regulations and policies; tyre waste and the implementation of waste management functions.

Highlights for the day include Prof Maarten de Wit, professor at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), who will focus on ‘How to get earth back on track’. Prof de Wit has been working for some years to define a trans-disciplinary field that encompasses all the problems affecting a particular place and its people. This field of research is a new discipline called ‘Earth stewardship science’.

Other topics which will also be observed during the conference: Peter Neilson will discuss renewable energy challenges and opportunities for municipalities, while Lisa Parkes from PETCO will cover an introduction to PETCO and the PET recycling in South Africa as well as the assistance they offer to the community.

Additional speakers include Volkswagen’s Nico Serfontein, who will focus on the car manufacturer’s ‘Think Blue. Factory’ initiative which measures scarce resources and forms of waste to ultimately reduce their impact on the environment, and Dr Chris Mulder will focus on Crossways Farm Village and how this new town in Kouga Municipality is the lifestyle of the future and the first contemporary rural town in the Eastern Cape.

Other attractions include the CEO of REDISA, Hermann Erdmann, who will speak about REDISA’s ‘Integrated Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan’. The Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s (EC DEDEAT) Lulama Macanda, will address the use of regulatory framework in the implementation of waste management functions, and Mpact’s John Hunt, will focus on how to convert the enthusiasm for the ‘Green Revolution’ into sustainable recyclate collection projects.

The day will be concluded with talks from Sarah Edwards, who will share lessons learnt from the United Kingdom management to help South Africa meet its waste management challenges, followed by NMMU’s Clive Hands, who will showcase and discuss the university’s Solar Car Project of 2011, ‘Photon’. ‘Photon’ will also be displayed at the conference.

“We are very excited to host the Green Revolution conference as it aims to educate and inform about the increasing need for a greener and more sustainable future. We invite all parties interested to sign up for this great event. The IWMSA will also like to thank our guest speakers in sharing their ideas and knowledge,” comments Dr Suzan Oelofse, President of the IWMSA.

For more information and details of how to register, please visit www.iwmsa.co.za or email easterncape@iwmsa.co.za.