SUM 2022 - Sixth Symposium on Urban Mining and Circular Economy

The SUM Symposium, organised biennially since 2012 by IWWG–International Waste Working Group, nowadays represents the ideal reference Forum for Circular Economy and Urban Mining, where scientists and stakeholders can debate the most advanced results and focus on future needs.

The 2022 edition (10th Anniversary) took place from 18th to 20th May 2022 in the fascinating venue of Capri, Italy at the Municipal Congress Centre.

SUM 2022 was held under the patronage of the Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition, Campania Region, City of Capri, ENEA and ISPRA.
The Symposium relies on the scientific support of prestigious universities and is promoted by several national and international bodies.

The next edition will be held in 2024 in Capri, Italy. Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to get our news and updates!

Contact:

SUM 2022 Organising Secretariat
Tel. +39 0498726986
Email: info(at)sumsymposium(dot)it
Website: www.sumsymposium.it


Fifth IWWG - RUNISRB Symposium

One of the main events of the past year was the 5th international scientific conference on waste management in Perm, Russian Federation.

The year 2021 at the Perm Polytechnic University (PNRPU) ended with the V International Scientific Conference "From Waste Management to Resource Recovery", which is organized every two years by the Environmental Protection Department of PNRPU together with the International Waste Working Group (IWWG).

In December 2021, the conference was held for the first time in a full hybrid format, all the events were available online. Thanks to this, the total number of participants again exceeded two hundred people. After each conference, the composition and affiliations of the participants are analyzed. In terms of the extent of geography of the participants, the V Conference set a kind of record: 4,400 km to the west of Perm, 7,000 km to the east! At the sessions of the conference, reports were made by scientists from Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Serbia and Italy; St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kursk, Veliky Novgorod and Yaroslavl; Ulyanovsk, Togliatti, Kirov, Izhevsk, Ufa, Chelyabinsk; Yekaterinburg, Miass, Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk and Yakutsk; Perm and Perm region.

The conference delegates, who arrived in Perm the day before, had the opportunity to take part in the events of the extended program. On December 1, two events took place - an excursion to the Bumatika eco-park and a series of open lectures held by foreign scientists. The participants of the excursion were personally guided by the director of the Bumatika company, Sergei Chudinov. At the unique site of the eco-park, a full cycle of waste processing is implemented, from sorting to the production of commercial products such as ecowool, PET granules and polymer sand products, heating oil. At the end of the exciting event, the delegates were given hot tea to drink.

A series of open lectures held by foreign scientists - partners of the Environmental Protection Department of PNRPU included three one and a half hour lectures:

  • on the topic “How municipal solid waste landfills can contribute to climate protection” by the scientific consultant of the Hamburg Institute for Innovation, Climate Protection and Circular Economy (Germany), IWWG Managing Director, Dr. Marco RITZKOWSKI;
  • on the topic “Microorganisms against climate change: reduction of biogas emissions through the arrangement of methane-oxidizing top covers of municipal solid waste landfills” by the head of the Institute of Waste Management of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Austria), IWWG board member, Prof. Dr. Marion HUBER-HUMER;
  • on the topic “Transformation of the energy sector in Germany: can the country completely abandon the use of fossil fuels” by professor of the Merseburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany) Prof. Dr. Christoph WÜNSCH.

The following events were held as part of the main program of the conference:

  • plenary session;
  • meeting of the Committee for Ecology and Nature Management of the Perm Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
  • round table "Climate neutral nature management";
  • thematic sessions “Restoration of Disturbed Territories. Safe Disposal of Waste”, “Environmental Initiatives”, “Digital Technologies in Nature Management”, “Circular Economy”, “Technologies for Processing and Disposal of Solid Municipal and Industrial Waste”;
  • special sessions “Eco-projects of future scientists. Students” and “Eco-projects of future scientists. Pupils";
  • career consultations for students from representatives of the leading partner enterprises of PNRPU — Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez, Lukoil-Perm, Sibur-Khimprom, Metafrax-Chemicals.

Conference website
http://waste.pstu.ru/en/

Contact
Anna TSYBINA, Coordinator
pnrpu.conference(at)gmail(dot)com 


SARDINIA 2021 - 18th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium

11 - 15 Oct 2021, Santa Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Italy

After celebrating our 31-year anniversary in 2019, the latest edition of the Sardinia Symposium was held from 11th to 15th October 2021 in Cagliari. The Symposium is looking better than ever with a success that goes from strength to strength, making the Sardinia Symposia the most important solid waste management conference in the world. The secret of this success? Easily said:

An increasing number of young scientists is taking part in this event, acknowledging it as an important opportunity for scientific networking and debate / Attendance is largely international with more than 70 countries represented from all continents / Consistent participation of affirmed scientists / High-level scientific content supported by innovation and creativity / A venue, a setting, a natural environment, a hotel complex, a social programme that render the socialization and professional and scientific networking simply unique.

The conference included oral sessions and specialised workshops, parallel events, practical design workshops, business to business meetings, discussion forums, a continuously accessible poster area and a wide exhibition space for companies working in the field of Waste Management.

Sardinia is unique in that almost all delegates stay within the premises of the Forte Village resort, where comfortable facilities and the frequency of meeting colleagues from all over the world, offer a great opportunity for networking. The Sardinia scientific programme was enriched by an exciting evening events calendar, including music shows, guided tours, sport activities, gala dinner and more.

Symposium Themes in 2021

  • Waste policy and legislation
  • Waste management strategies
  • Public concern and education
  • WM assessment and decision tools
  • Waste characterization
  • Waste collection
  • Waste minimization and recycling
  • Biological treatment
  • Thermal treatment
  • Mechanical biological treatment prior to landfilling
  • Sanitary landfilling
  • Integrated wastewater and solid waste management
  • Waste management and climate change
  • WM in developing and low income countries
  • Special sessions
  • Environmental forensics
  • Waste Architecture
  • Waste and health

Eurowaste

Via Beato Pellegrino 23

35137 Padova, Italy

Tel. +39 049 8726986

Fax +39 049 8726987

email: info(at)eurowaste(dot)it

www.sardiniasymposium.it


CRETE 2021

VII International conference on Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management

Chania, Crete, Greece. 27 - 30 July, 2021

 

Organized by: IWWG, Technical University of Crete, University of Padua, Hamburg University of Technology, Tsinghua University

The 7th international conference on industrial and hazardous waste management CRETE 2021 was held in Chania (Crete - Greece),  July 27 - 30, 2021. CRETE 2021 marked the 12th anniversary of this unique IWWG conference series, which is jointly organized by the Technical University of Crete, the University of Padua, the Hamburg University of Technology and Tsinghua University of Beijing.

The conference in a hybrid format was attended by a total of 230 participants and included several IWWG workshops, 5 keynote lectures, regular, specialised and virtual sessions as well as a closing round table discussion.

Conference topics covered a holistic approach of industrial and hazardous waste management with a focus on the following directions:

  • Industrial and Hazardous Waste (IHW): Regulations, Legislation & Characterization
  • Producer Responsibility and Hazardous Compounds in Products
  • IHW Management: Emission Control, Concepts & Practices
  • IHW Minimization & Recycling: Optimized Production Processes, Re-utilization, Waste Stock Market, etc.
  • Toxicological & Safety Aspects of IHW / Contaminated Sites Management
  • Design & Operation of IHW Treatment Plants & Disposal Sites: Recycling Plants, Incinerators, Chemical/ Physical Treatment Plants, Landfills, Intermediate Storage Facilities, etc.
  • Contaminant Release & Transport: Processes, LCA, Risk Assessment
  • Environmental Toxicology of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), persistent Biocides and Pesticides
  • Formation and Destruction of Halogenated Dioxins, PAHs, Biphenyls and Similar Compounds
  • Remediation of Contaminated Sites & Groundwater
  • Remediation of Mines and Treatment of Mine Residues
  • Special Waste Management: Medical, Radioactive, Agro-Industrial and Pharmaceutical Waste, Production Residues, Asbestos, WEEE, etc.
  • Catastrophes and War: Effects on the Environment, Impact, Remediation
  • Pollution of Marine Environment by Plastic Debris & other Waste
  • IHW Energy Management Concepts: Energy Reduction and Recovery
  • Social Aspects of IHW Management: Public Acceptance, Public Involvement, Information Policy, Safety Aspects
  • Aspects of Global Pollution: Reduction of diffuse Emissions, Targets for acceptable Water, Air & Soil Contamination (Planetary Boundaries), etc.
  • Reduction of Air Pollution by advanced Industrial Emission Control
  • New Ways of Education in the Field of IHW in Schools, Universities & the Public: Virtual Reality, Advanced Internet Utilization (Presentations, Communication, Courses, etc.), Waste and Art, etc.
  • Case Studies

The presented papers and posters as well as the exibitions will be made available on the IWWG webpage in a short time. For more and detailed information about the conference and upcoming events, please contact the:

CRETE 2021 Conference Seretariat

Tel. +30 28210 37790

Fax. + 30 28210 37850

E-mail: hwm.conferences(at)enveng.tuc(dot)gr

Website: http://hwm-conferences.tuc.gr/


SARDINIA 2019 - 17th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium

30 Sept - 4 Oct 2019, Santa Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Italy

The seventeenth edition of the Sardinia Symposium, organized by the IWWG - International Waste Working Group, was held in Forte Village, Santa Margherita di Pula (Cagliari) Italy, from September 30th to October 4th, 2019.  The event was attended by 675 participants (researchers, technicians, administrators and operators) with the presentation of 583 scientific papers, selected according to quality by the Scientific Secretariat from over 850 offers of papers.  As per tradition, the conference focused on the advances of waste management science and technology, discussing the main controversial subjects and sharing experiences among different countries. The programme was structured in 90 oral sessions, 38 workshops, 4 side events, poster sessions and an exhibition by companies working in the field. The next edition of the Symposium will take place in 2021.

SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS NOW AVAILABLE

The Sardinia 2019 Symposium demonstrated the current state-of-the-art and future prospects in the field of waste management in more than 550 contributions. One copy of proceedings was made available to all Symposium participants at the start of the event. If you were unable to attend or are looking for the latest research findings and developments in waste management, you may purchase the conference proceedings on CISA Publisher official website, where proceedings of past editions are also available.
PowerPoint slides of papers presented during the Symposium will soon be made available (in PDF format) in the members' area of the IWWG.

WASTE TO PHOTO 2019: THE WINNER IS...

We are pleased to announce that the winning photo of the third edition of Waste To Photo, the photographic contest connected to the Sardinia Symposium, is the photo “Toxic Bath” taken by Mr. Mahfuzul Hasan Bhuiyan in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where leather industries make the river Buriganga almost unlivable. Mahfuzul Hasan Bhuiyan is one of the key Architectural Photographers as well as Documentary Photographer in Bangladesh.

A LIFE FOR WASTE AWARDS DELIVERED TO PETER LECHNER

The recipient of this year's award is Prof. Peter Lechner, Austria, who received the award on Friday 4th October 2019, during the closing Gala Dinner of the Symposium. The "A Life for Waste" award was institued in 1999 and since then has been presented biennially to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to advances in international waste management.

Peter Lechner received the Master of Science (MSc) in Civil Engineering and Water Management from BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, and a PhD from Vienna University of Technology. He is a founding member of the IWWG, Chairman of the Austrian Compost Quality Society (Kompostgüteverband Österreich), consultant for the City of Vienna and waste management companies.

IWWG Award "Waste Vision 2100"

IWWG is happy to announce the establishment of the Biennial Award "Waste Vision 2100", in order to foster the young research, further to the recent creation of the IWWGyoung Task Group. The Award is addressed to early carrier researchers developing groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions for big challenges in waste management.

The Award winner, selected by a jury consisting of members of the IWWG-MB, is Dr. Vasiliki Savvilotidou, a principal research engineer at the Laboratory of Toxic and Hazardous Waste Management, Technical University of Crete, Greece. Dr. Savvilotidou has 7-years laboratory experience in innovative recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and received her Ph.D. for the research on the "Development of recycling techniques in 1st and 2nd generation waste photovoltaic panels" in 2019. With her thesis she developed groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions in the very complex and emerging topic of management of photovoltaic waste. In particular, she investigated approaches for the recovery of bulk and critical raw materials as well as reuse options of glass and plastic in the construction sector. By her thesis she could demonstrate that metal, glass and plastic parts consisting more than 90% of P/V panels can be reused, recovered or recycled towards an integrated sustainable management of waste P/V panels, indicating potential future applications.

www.sardiniasymposium.it


Fourth IWWG - ARB Symposium

IV Symposium of the Asian Regional Branch of International Waste Working Group

Bangkok, Thailand, 20 - 22 February 2019

The 4th Symposium organized by the IWWG Asian Regional Branch (IWWG-ARB) was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 20 to 22 February, 2019.

The Regional Branch of IWWG is a strategy of IWWG to better organize the IWWG activities, favour contacts and participation, better consider local needs in a significantly large area (Asia, Africa, South and North America, etc.). This ARB branch is the special one in the Asian region to initiate the IWWG strategy.
Based on the IWWG Regional Branch Establishment Procedure, a Founding committee was formed by Toshihiko Matsuto (Hokkaido University, Japan), Pin-Jing He (Tongji University, China), and Jae Young Kim (Seoul National University, Republic of Korea) who are the members of Managing Board and/or Scientific Advisory Board of IWWG. Starting from this three countries, ARB activities will extend to other Asian countries.
The kickoff activity of ARB is the organization of ARB symposium, which was decided to be held in Japan, China and Korea. Between 2013 and 2017 IWWG-ARB Symposiums were successfully conducted in Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan (March 2013), Tongji University, Shanghai, China (April 2015) and Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea (2017).

In 2019, Thailand iss honored to host the 4th IWWG-ARB which was held on 20th – 22nd February 2019 at the Sukosol Bangkok, Bangkok. This symposium is organized jointly by Kasetsart University and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi. We are pleased to cordially invite you to join us at the 4th IWWG-ARB and participate in enhancing our global network of researchers working on waste management and related area. We are confident that this symposium will be rewarding for all participants and will, once again, provide an opportunity to promote communication among academics, researchers, and industrialists who are interested in working on waste management. We wish the 4th IWWG-ARB to be an opportunity not only for sharing ideas and experiences but also for establishing and extending friendships among researchers with common interests from, not only Asia, but also all over the world.
We look forward to welcoming you all to Bangkok and the 4th IWWG-ARB!

Assoc.Prof.Chart Chiemchaisri, Kasetsart University
Symposium Chair


VII International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste - VENICE 2018 

 

The production of energy from alternative sources and its impact on climate change are among the main strategic tools implicated in the sustainable development of our society. Numerous types of biomass and wastes contribute towards the production of energy and reduction in the use of fossil fuels by means of biological, chemical and thermal processes. Existing biomass and waste to energy technologies are currently undergoing rapid development. Despite growing interest in the use of these technologies, in many countries their implementation remains limited.

The aim of the Venice 2018 Symposium was to focus on the advances made in the application of different substrates and biological/thermal technologies for energy recovery from biomass and waste and to encourage discussion in these fields. The conference featured three days of scientific presentations plus one day of guided technical tours at biochemical and thermochemical plants, with an attendance of over 600 delegates from tens of different countries worldwide.The following topics have been discussed:

  • Biomass and waste characterisation as a potential energy source
  • Renewable fuel (Biogas, Biodiesel, Bioethanol, Liquified Gas, etc.)
  • Biological Waste to Energy (Anaerobic digestion, Microbial Fuel Cell, Biofuel)
  • Refuse-derived fuel / Solid recovered fuel (RDF/SRF)
  • Thermal treatment (Combustion, Pyrolysis, Gasification and Others)
  • Economic aspects
  • Decision tools
  • Policies and Legal aspects
  • Climate change and Sink
  • Ecotoxicological aspects and Health issues
  • Public acceptance
  • Experiences and new developments
  • Developing countries
  • Thermochemical processes
  • Mass and energy balances
  • Process modelling
  • Fuel upgrading

Website: http://venicesymposium.it


VI International conference on Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management - CRETE 2018

Chania, Crete, Greece. 4 - 7 September, 2018

 

Organized by: IWWG, Technical University of Crete, University of Padua, Hamburg University of Technology, Tsinghua University

The 6th international conference on hazardous and industrial waste management CRETE 2018 was held in Chania (Crete - Greece),  September 4 - 7, 2018. CRETE 2018 was a special event, as it marked the 10th anniversary of this unique IWWG conference series, which is traditionally organized by the Technical University of Crete, the University of Padua and the Hamburg University of Technology. Tsinghua University of Beijing was joining in as a co-organizer, broadening CRETE 2018 boarders to the East.

Training courses – prior to the official start of the symposium 3 training courses have been conducted on the following topics: Special Waste Treatment and Recovery (by Prof. Karl E. Lorber & Dr. Renato Sarc, Montanuniversitaet Leoben (Austria)), Treatment and Disposal of Industrial and Hazardous Waste and the Securing or Remediation of Contaminated Sites (by Dr. Marco Ritzkowski, Hamburg University of Technology (Germany) and Feasibility Assessment Model for Landfill Mining and its Implementation (by Prof. Gintaras Denafas, Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)). All courses have been very well attended and all participants received a certificate at the completion of the courses.

Keynote lectures – a series of three keynote speeches were delivered by renowned experts in the field. Maria Banti from the DG Environment of the European Commission provided an overview on the EU policy on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The management of WEEE was one of the highlighted topics of this edition of the CRETE symposium. The second keynote speech by Prof. Rainer Stegmann from the Hamburg University of Technology and Prof. Wenjing Lu from the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China focused on the social aspects of waste management. It was mentioned that often there is a lack of awareness of the environmental problems and their potential implication on peoples present and future life. Consequently, education should be the main tool for improving environmental consciousness and behavior. With the third keynote speech, Prof. Tsatsakis from the University of Crete stressed challenges for risks assessments in 21st century: simulation of real life exposures to daily hazards.

Workshops – a total of 11 workshops (partly in Greek language) were organized during the symposium. Among others, the legal and organizational problems of industrial & hazardous waste management in Russia and NIS have been presented and discussed by a large number of speakers and participants from the Russian Federation. Moreover, the emerging plastic hazards in the oceans have been presented experts from Greece and Germany.


Retirement ceremony for Prof. Raffaello Cossu – one of the emotional highlights of the CRETE symposium was the retirement ceremony honoring Prof. Raffaello Cossu from the University of Padova. Raffaello Cossu is one of the conference co-Chairs since the establishment of the symposium in 2008. On Friday, 7 September a great number of symposium delegates joint the ceremony and enjoyed a series of amusing and emotional speeches and performances presented by friends, colleagues and family members.

Poster exhibition and poster awards – during the symposium a total of 56 posters have been exhibited on a great variety of topics. Based on the decision of an international evaluation committee, the following posters have been top ranked among all contributions:

  • The 1st Poster Award CRETE 2018 goes to E. Faraggiana., G. Pietroluongo, B. Quintana, K.G Dexter, H. Moore and A. Milou for the poster entitled VARIATION IN MICROPLASTICS CONTENT DETECTED IN COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT MARINE SPECIES OF THE EASTERN AEGEAN SEA.
  • The 2nd Poster Award CRETE 2018 goes to G.C. Feijoo, T. Scarazzato, R.S. Trovão, P. Aliprandini, D.C.R. Espinosa and J.A.S. Tenório for the poster entitled TREATMENT OF A SYNTHETIC SOLUTION CONTAINING COBALT (II), MANGANESE (II), MAGNESIUM (II) AND CHROMIUM (III) FROM NICKEL LATERITE PROCESSING USING ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE ELECTRODIALYSIS.
  • The 3rd Poster Award CRETE 2018 goes to V. Savvilotidou, A. Kritikaki, A. Stratakis, K. Komnitsas and E. Gidarakos for the poster entitled PRODUCTION OF GLASS-CERAMICS FROM PHOTOVOLTAIC GLASS AND LIGNITE FLY ASH.

Exhibitions – during the conference three poster exhibitions have been made available to all participants, focusing on burning aspects of industrial and hazardous waste management. The exhibition covered the topics E-Waste Management, Plastic Waste Pollution & Environmental Effects as well as Human Perspectives on Environmental Issues and Solutions. All three exhibitions will be made available on the IWWG webpage (www.iwwg.eu) for IWWG members.

Gala Dinner – following the tradition the conference was concluded by a Gala Dinner at the conference hotel. Without any doubt, CRETE 2018 has again demonstrated to be the leading event in the field of industrial and hazardous waste management. The next conference will be held in Crete in autumn 2020.

Contact:

CRETE 2018 Conference Seretariat

Technical University of Crete Dpt. of Environmental Engineering University Campus

73100, Chania Crete, GREECE

Tel. +30 28210 37790 Fax. + 30 28210 37850

E-mail: hwm.conferences@enveng.tuc.gr

Website: hwm-conferences.tuc.gr


SARDINIA 2017 - 16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium

2 - 6 October 2017, Santa Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Italy

The sixteenth edition of the Sardinia Symposium, organized by the IWWG - International Waste Working Group, was held in Forte Village, Santa Margherita di Pula (Cagliari) Italy, from October 2nd to October 6th, 2017. The event was attended by 676 participants (researchers, technicians, administrators and operators) with the presentation of more than 550 scientific papers, selected according to quality by the Scientific Secretariat from a total of 864 offers of papers.
 
The conference included 88 oral sessions and 40 specialized workshops for a total of eight parallel tracks, discussion forums and roundtables, a continuously accessible poster area and an extensive exhibition space for companies working in the field of waste management. Several workshops were devoted to the presentation of innovative international projects. As usual, the conference provided for extensive discussion on the optimization of existing technologies and development of new ideas, placing particular emphasis on controversial issues such as WEEE, food waste, problems and opportunities in plastic waste management, landfill gas (including generation, emission monitoring, collection, treatments and effects), and rehabilitation of landfills.


The opening lecture of Sardinia 2017 Symposium was given by Prof. Dieter Gerten (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research), who addressed the problem of maintaining environmental planetary boundaries; Prof. Rainer Stegmann and Raffaello Cossu (Symposium Chairs) who summarized the history of the conference (celebrating this year its 30th anniversary); Prof. Yasushi Matsufuji (Fukuoka University) who focused on Japanese waste management challenges and opportunities.

As an integration to the extensive program of the symposium, the conference was enriched with a half-day event on Start Ups working in the field of waste management, coordinated by Unismart Padova Enterprise, the technology transfer and innovation management consulting in-house company of the University of Padova (IT). Furthermore, the second edition of the "Waste to Photo" photography competion was organized in connection with the conference with the specific aim of recreating a scenario representing the global situation with regard to waste and landfill. The most significant photos were used to set up a photographic exhibition to illustrate the differences, contradictions, difficulties and progress encountered by this issue in a series of contexts throughout the world, ranging from developing countries to the more industrialized nations. Timothy Bouldry came first in the contest with his photo entitled "Recycling in Leon, Nicaragua".
 
The conference closing session was devoted to a roundtable discussion on the role of different waste management practices and technologies in the circular economy. During the Round Table the outcomes of several symposium sessions and workshops on waste management and the circular economy were summarized and discussed, with specific emphasis on the influence of circular economy action plans on waste management practices and the role of landfilling in closing the material cycles.

The great success of this edition was due to the high scientific relevance of the presented papers, as well as to the rich menu of social activities, some of which centered on Japanese culture. Japan, in fact, was the Guest Country of Sardinia 2017. On Sunday 2nd October, delegates were welcomed by a colorful cocktail which afforded the possibility to meet old and new friends and colleagues in a relaxing atmosphere. The traditional football match was extremely well attended this edition, with several teams made up of participants from different countries taking part in a mini-tournament. A lot of fun was had by both players and supporters alike!

As per tradition, to celebrate the closure of the conference week, all delegates were invited to a formal gala dinner in the elegant Sala Bianca at Forte Village. During the dinner the "A Life for Waste" Award was officially presented to Prof. Raffaello Cossu and best papers awards delivered to the winners of the different categories:

 

  • Best Japanese Paper to O.Hirata, A. Tachifuji, Y. Matsufuji, R.Yanase (JP) for the paper Evaluation of methane potential from old landfilled wastes for landfill aftercare
  • John Pacey Award - Award for the best paper on landfill gas management to M. Ritzkowski, K. Kuchta, R. Stegmann, B. Walker (DE) for the paper Aeration of the Teuftal landfill - Importance of monitoring and lab scale investigations
  • Luigi Mendia Award - Award for the best paper on waste management policy to G. Obersteiner, K. Stoll (AT) for the paper The ecological effects of e-commerce with focus on waste generation
  • Kriton Curi Award - Award for the best paper on developing country waste management issues to S. Aparcana (AT) for the paper Barriers and success factors of approaches to formalization of the informal waste sector in developing countries: a review
  • Giovanni Bozzini Award - Best Italian paper award to M. L. Mastellone, R. Lotito (IT) for the paper Indirect monitoring of the air quality affected by biowaste treatment facilities
  • Alberto Rozzi Award - Award for the best paper on biological treatment to C. Zurbrügg, B. Dortmans, A. Fadhila, B. Verstappen, S. Diener (CH) for the paper From pilot to full scale operation of a waste-to-protein treatment facility
  • André Rollin Award - Award for the best paper on geosynthetics engineering to V. Hruby, S. Barrie (SK) for the paper Geomembrane integrity surveys - Difference between US and EU concepts
  • Best Poster Award to M. Alamin, Q.H. Bari, A.A. Alamgir (BD) for the paper Seasonal variation on extent of stabilization of faecal sludge co-composting in Khulna City of Bangladesh


First Pan-African University of Rain in Yaounde

20 - 21 July 2017, Yaoundé, Cameroon

The first Congress on Sanitation in African Cities , 20-21st July in Yaoundè, was the first chance in Cameroun to face the environmental challenges due to the rapid urbanisation and the recent economic development at a scientific international level.
The congress was free of charge since it was the final step of a large educational project started in 2013 with the aim to train 300 engineers in Cameroon specialized in sustainable management of water resources and sanitation in African cities.
The organisers welcomed all those who desire to promote sustainable development in Africa.  [Program in French]


VI International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste - VENICE 2016 

The production of energy from alternative sources and its impact on climate change are among the main strategic tools implicated in the sustainable development of our society. Numerous types of biomass and wastes contribute towards the production of energy and reduction in the use of fossil fuels by means of biological, chemical and thermal processes. Existing biomass and waste to energy technologies are currently undergoing rapid development. Despite growing interest in the use of these technologies, in many countries their implementation remains limited.The aim of the Venice 2016 Symposium is to focus on the advances made in the application of technologies for energy recovery from biomass and waste and to encourage discussion in these fields. The previous edition of the Symposium, held in 2014, was attended by nearly 580 scientists and operators from approximately 62 different countries.The sixth edition of the Symposium featured:

  • Three days of scientific presentations
  • One day of guided technical tours at biochemical and thermochemical plants
  • Six parallel oral sessions, poster sessions and an exhibition by companies working in the field
  • Expected attendance of over 600 delegates from tens of different countries worldwide.

The Symposium was scientifically organized by the International Waste Working Group (IWWG) and Ordine degli Ingegneri della Provincia di Venezia, with the scientific support of the Universities of Queensland, Padova, Hokkaido, Rostock, Trento, Hamburg University of Technology and Venice International University.

Website: http://venicesymposium.it


ICWMT 2016 - 11th International Conference on Waste Management and Technology

Beijing, China. 21-24 October 2016

ICWMT is an important international platform for specialists and officials to discuss scientific problems, exchange experiences, and look for innovative solutions. Initiated by Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, ICWMT has been held 10 times since its inception in 2005. On a yearly basis, ICWMT is known to attract a great number of participants from governments, research institutions, universities and industries. There were more than 500 delegates from nearly 30 countries participating in ICWMT10.

Website: http://2016.icwmt.org

Call for Paper: click here


Exhibition of the IWWG ART Gallery during CRETE 2016

Chania, Crete, Greece. 27 - 30 September, 2016

The Sailing Club Café

The IWWG ART Gallery participates at CRETE 2016, 5th International Conference on Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management, with a real exhibition of art, design, photography and fashion from up-cycled waste material.
It will be a major achievement for the Gallery to step out of the virtual dimension and take on a tangible form, when selected items from the on-line collection will be showcased in the Sailing Club Café, a beautiful space in the picturesque harbor of Chania.
The location of the exhibition also ties in with the main theme of the Crete conference, as particular attention will be given to the problematic of plastic pollution in the sea. The opening of the exhibition, on the afternoon of 26th September, will mark the start of the conference and it is likely to draw many visitors, not only from the delegates list, throughout the week.
What better way than through waste, creatively transformed into fascinating art, to capture the attention of the public and build an awareness of the current overproduction/overconsumption crisis, the ruthless contamination and escalating degradation of our environment?
In September 2016, the Gallery will sail on towards unchartered seas, with the mission to inform, engage and connect with the widest audience, in search of better waste reduction solutions and a cleaner future.
We hope to meet you there!

Cristina van der Westhuyzen and Rainer Stegmann


V International conference on Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management - CRETE 2016

Chania, Crete, Greece. 27 - 30 September, 2016

 

Organized by: IWWG, Technical University of Crete, University of Padua, Hamburg University of Technology

Click HERE to download the brochure!

The 5th international conference on hazardous and industrial waste management CRETE 2016 will be held in Chania (Crete - Greece),  September 27 - 30, 2016.

The conference will focus on innovative aspects of Hazardous Waste Management, presenting new technologies, describing the state of the art and related case studies, discussing the main controversial subjects, sharing experiences among different countries and evaluating social and financial balances.

Through several sessions and special workshops, CRETE 2016 will mainly focus on:

  • Industrial and Hazardous Waste Regulation / Legislation
  • Industrial and Hazardous Waste Characterization
  • Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management Practices Treatment and Disposal
  • Industrial and Hazardous Waste Production, Minimization and Recycling
  • Hazardous Waste Toxicology - Risk Assessment
  • Treatment of Hazardous Waste Landfill and Mine Leachates
  • Contaminant Release and Transport
  • Management of Contaminated Sites
  • Special Waste (Medical, Radioactive, WEEE, Agro-Industrial, Asbestos etc.)
  • Waste - to - Energy Concepts
  • Case Studies

Following the great success of the 4th Conference, CRETE 2014 which had great participation from a wide variety of countries all over the word, we are pleased to invite you to participate in this upcoming event. More information will be soon available on our official website. Should you need any clarifications please do not hesitate to contact the CRETE 2016 Organizing Secretariat.

We will be honored to welcome you all to Chania, once again and receive your contribution to the conduction of a really interesting and successful Conference.

Contact:

CRETE 2016 Conference Seretariat

Technical University of Crete Dpt. of Environmental Engineering University Campus

73100, Chania Crete, GREECE

Tel. +30 28210 37790

Fax. + 30 28210 37850

E-mail: hwm.conferences(at)enveng.tuc(dot)gr

Website: http://hwm-conferences.tuc.gr/


Simpósio Ecos da Sardenha 2016

Brasilia, Brazil. 30 August - 1 September

Contact:

Fátima Nunes
Tel: +55 (11) 5093-7709
Fax: +55 (11) 4191-1135
atendimento@ecosdanatureza.org.br
ecosdanatureza.org.br


ICLRS 2016 - 9th Intercontinental Landfill Research Symposium

Noboribetsu Onsen, Japan. 13-15 June 2016

The 9th Intercontinental Landfill Research symposium will be held June 13-15, 2016 at Noboribetsu Onsen (Hot spring), Hokkaido, Japan. The ICLRS serves as the premier international meeting for an exchange of ideas among landfill researchers throughout the world. In contrast to other meetings, the focus of this meeting is on leading edge research covering all aspects of landfills. The objectives of the symposium are to (1) assemble the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in the solid waste field, (2) address a broad range of topics related to landfills, and (3) discuss and debate current knowledge and future directions. The emphasis of the ICLRS is on critical discussion and detailed exploration of a topic.

Reserchers in the field of landfilling throughout the world are invited to propose a session and a paper. Session Proposals are due Septemer 1, and Abstact are due October 1. For further details click here.

Website: http://lst.sb.ltu.se/iclrs/web/symposia.html


SUM 2016 - Third Symposium on Urban Mining

Bergamo, Italy. 23-25 May 2016

Following the huge success of its second edition in 2014, which registered the participation of more than 200 delegates from more than 40 different countries worldwide, SUM 2016 – 3rd Symposium on Urban Mining will be held in the suggestive former Monastery of Saint Augustine in Bergamo’s upper city, in May 2016. SUM 2016 will focus on the concept of Urban Mining and the need to look beyond collection and the current logic of consumers responsibility, resulting in an increased recovery of resources, better quality of the same, improved environmental protection, involvement of producers responsibility and lower costs for society. The Symposium will last three days and will include oral session, a poster session and a technical tour. The Symposium will include the following topics:

  • Sources and characterization of materials and energy resources in urban spaces;
  • Municipal Solid Waste, commercial waste, industrial waste, WEEE, depuration sludge, municipal and industrial sewage sludge, demolitions waste, food waste , waste tyres;
  • Automotive Shredded Residues;
  • Techniques of waste source separation;
  • Criticality of the current system of separate waste collection;
  • Takeback programs;
  • Recovery centres (Ecopoints, Tip shops, Waste banks, etc.);
  • Technologies for the extraction of materials and resources;
  • Valorization of materials and resources;
  • Recirculation pathways and markets;
  • Landfill mining;
  • Economic and financial aspects;
  • Policies and legal aspects;
  • Environmental balances (Life-cycle assessment);
  • Case studies.

 

For the final symposium program click here. The official languages of the Symposium are English or Italian. Papers have been selected following evaluation by an international panel of referees. All papers accepted to the SUM 2016 will be published on a dedicated volume of Symposium proceedings. All the accepted papers will also be peer-reviewed for being included in a special issue of Waste Management Journal (by Elsevier) on “Research on Urban and Landfill Mining”.
For further enquiries and information on registration, accommodation, etc., please contact the Organizing Secretariat EUROWASTE Srl (info@eurowaste.it, www.eurowaste.it).

Website: http://www.urbanmining.it


EurAsia Waste Management Symposium

Istanbul, Turkey, 2 - 4 May 2016

The third edition of the EURASİA WASTE MANAGEMENT SYMPOSİUM 2016 will be held in YTU 2010 European Capital of Culture Congress & Cultural Center from 2 to 4 May 2016. The symposium is organized by the Environmental Engineering Department of Yildiz Technical University and ISTAC Inc.

EurAsia Waste Management Symposium will provide a comprehensive overview of effective waste management strategies across the Asian and the European regions. Also, the symposium will provide the opportunity discuss and evaluate the current and future regional waste management strategies and recycling projects. All parties of waste management such as universities, industrial organizations, public institutions and organizations, local governments and legislators are welcome to attend to the symposium in order to share their experiences and to bring a common body of knowledge for the solution of the waste management problems in the region. The symposium is supported by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization , Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry, International Waste Working Group (IWWG), Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI).

The topics of the symposium will include almost all areas of waste management including legislation, collection, transport, treatment, recycle and reuse options for municipal, hazardous, medical, and other waste types. The Symposium will include oral presentations, poster sessions, and specialized sessions.

The symposium will last 3 days and will include the following topics:

  • Biological Methods for Waste Disposal
  • Construction and Demolition Waste Management
  • Hazardous Waste Management
  • Hospital Waste Management
  • Industrial Waste Management
  • Landfill Gas Management
  • Landfilling
  • Leachate Management and Treatment
  • Mechanical Biological Treatment
  • Rehabilitation of the Dumping Sites
  • Sludge Treatment and Disposal
  • Solid Waste Collection and Transport
  • Thermal Technologies for Waste Disposal
  • Waste Characterization
  • Waste Management Legislations
  • Waste Minimization and Recycling
  • Waste to Energy

For further information on registration and for the conference program, please visit the official website of the symposium at www.eurasiasymposium.com.

IWWG Workshop:

Within the framework of the EurAsia Waste Management Symposium, an IWWG WORKSHOP entitled “ INDUSTRIAL AND SPECIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES” will be organized by Prof. E. Gidarakos (Leader of the IWWG Task Group on Industrial Waste Management) in order to promote the experience among the international experts and to enhance the exchanging of knowledge on waste management practices among the nations. 
The workshop is expected to be a must attend workshop for colleagues to contribute to the development of effective waste management practices combined with sustainable development in the heart of the Asia and Europe.

Contact:

Dr. Mehmet Sinan BilgiliYildiz Technical UniversityEnvironmental Engineering Department34220 Esenler/Istanbul/TurkeyTel: +90 212 3835370 E-mail: info(at)eurasiasymposium(dot)com


SARDINIA 2015 - 15th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium

5 - 9 October 2015, Santa Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Italy

The 2015 edition of the conference will be held in the traditional venue of the Forte Village Resort at S. Margherita di Pula (Cagliari, Italy) and is expected to register the participation of up to 1000 delegates from dozens of different countries worldwide. In line with tradition, the 15th edition of the conference will focus on advances in the field of Waste Management science and technologies, presenting case studies and discussing key controversial subjects, sharing experiences from different countries, and assesing social and economical balances.

The Symposium will include general oral presentations, specialized sessions and specialist workshops for a total of eight parallel tracks, poster sessions and a number of parallel events. Prior to the start of the Symposium, training courses will be offered by IWWG.
Organizations, associations and companies are traditionally welcome to have their internal meetings during the event, with the support of the Symposium Secretariat.

Symposium Themes

A. Waste policy and legislation

B. Waste management strategies

C. Public concern and education

D. Waste management assessment and decision tools

E. Waste characterization

F. Waste collection

G. Waste minimisation and recycling

H. Biological treatment

I. Thermal treatment

L. Mechanical biological treatment prior to landfilling

M. Sanitary landfilling

N. Integrated wastewater and solid waste management

O. Waste management and climate change

P. Waste management in developing and low income countries

Q. Special sessions

For further enquiries and information on registration, exhibition, accommodation, etc, please contact the Organising Secretariat:

Eurowaste

Via Beato Pellegrino 23

35137 Padova, Italy

Tel. +39 049 8726986

Fax +39 049 8726987

email: info(at)eurowaste(dot)it

www.sardiniasymposium.it


III International Conference on Solid Waste 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable Resource Management - ICSWHK 2015 

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). 19-23 May 2015

Further to the great success of the International Conference on Solid Waste 2011 and 2013 (http://arcpe.hkbu.edu.hk/conf2013), Sino Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University is going to organize the third conference, "International Conference on Solid Waste 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable Resource Management (ICSWHK2015)" which will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from 19-23 May 2015. The highlights of the conference include:

  • International Young Waste Researcher Award: US$2,000 cash prize with free registration
  • Three ‘Best Poster Award’: US$300 cash prize each
  • Registration waiver for local postgraduate students
  • Financial aid (Partial/Full) to attend the conference
  • Full papers published in Conference Proceedings
  • Selected papers published in SCI Journals including Bioresource Technology and Environmental Technology
  • Discounts for group registrations
  • World renowned Keynote and Invited speakers from America, Europe and Asia

Key dates:

  • 20 Dec 2014: Submission deadline for abstract of about 500 words via conference website
  • 31 Jan 2015:  Early bird registration deadline
  • 20 Jan 2015:  Notification of acceptance of abstracts for presentation
  • 15 Mar 2015:   Submission deadline for full papers

Please refer the conference website http://arcpe.hkbu.edu.hk/conf2015 for more details and send your queries at icswhk(at)hkbu.edu(dot)hk.

 


ISVS 2015 - 4th International Slag Valorisation Symposium

Leuven, Belgium. 15-17 April 2015


 

The Fourth International Slag Valorisation Symposium – with Zero Waste as subtheme - will be held from 15 - 17 April 2015 in Leuven, Belgium. This edition will cover the following topics:

  • High temperature residues
  • Hot stage slag processing
  • Energy recuperation
  • New slag applications
  • Geopolymers
  • Alkali Activation
  • Slag cooling methods
  • Slag mineralogy
  • Slag valorisation
  • Critical metals


and will be distributed on the following 4 sessions:

  • Hot stage slag engineering for higher added value applications and energy recuperation
  • Base and critical metal recovery
  • Innovative/low-carbon building applications
  • Non-traditional slag valorization processes and products


Each session will be opened by two keynote lectures given by specialists and/or high level representatives of the key institutes in this field (academia and industry), after which selected participants are offered the opportunity to show their work. The papers of oral and poster presenters will be distributed to the participants at the beginning of the Symposium in the official Symposium Book.

Due to practical reasons only 200 participants (including speakers and organisers) can take part in the symposium. Apart from the speakers: researchers, industrials fellows, government officials and civil society actors are invited. Due to limited amount of places, we recommend that you register as soon as possible.

IWWG members are entitled to a 10% discount on regular and student fees for the Symposium, as well as a 10% discount for corporate members in case of commercial exhibition.

Website: www.slag-valorisation-symposium.eu/registration.php

Information leaflet: click here


Second Symposium of the Asian Regional Branch of International Waste Working Group

Shanghai, China, 13 - 14 April 2015

 

The 2nd Symposium organized by the IWWG Asian Regional Branch (IWWG-ARB 2015) will be held in Shanghai, China, from 12th to 15th of April, 2015.

The event is expected to explore and strengthen the network among Asian Researchers in the field of Solid Waste Management, as well as the world’s concerns on Asian waste. The Symposium will include a Training Course on practical and technical aspects of waste management, C & D waste, landfill and recycling, to be held on the afternoon of 12th April. The course addresses particularly consultants, designers, engineers, officials, young teachers and researchers. Participants will get a Certificate issued by IWWG, signed by the responsible person of IWWG and IWWG-ARB.
Moreover, a Technical Tour to Shanghai Laogang Solid Waste Treatment Center (landfill site and incineration plant) is provisionally arranged on 15th April.
IWWG members are entitled to a 10% discount on regular and student fees for both Symposium and Training course. Training course is free for registered participants who complete the payment. Applications for training course will be considered on a first come-first served basis.

For further enquiries and registration please contact the Conference Secretariat (iwwg-arb(at)tongji.edu(dot)cn). Constantly up-dated information on the symposium are available from the website (www.iwwg-arb-tongji.com).


V International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste - VENICE 2014 

Island of San Servolo, Venice, Italy. 17-20 November 2014

The production of energy from alternative sources and its impact on climate change are among the main strategic tools implicated in the sustainable development of our society. Numerous types of biomass and wastes contribute towards the production of energy and reduction in the use of fossil fuels by means of biological, chemical and thermal processes. Existing biomass and waste to energy technologies are currently undergoing rapid development. Despite growing interest in the use of these technologies, in many countries their implementation remains limited.

The aim of the Venice 2014 Symposium is to focus on the advances made in application of technologies for energy recovery from biomass and waste and to encourage discussion in these fields. The previous edition of the Symposium, held in 2012, was attended by nearly 650 scientists and operators from approximately 60 different countries.

The fifth edition of the Symposium will last four days and will include oral sessions, a poster session, a small exhibition by companies working in the field and technical tours.

The symposium is organised by the International Waste Working Group (IWWG) with the scientific support of the Universities of Queensland, Padua, Hokkaido, Rostock and Hamburg.

 

Call for Abstracts:

An extended abstract  (at least one but no more than two full pages) prepared using the abstract form (to be downloaded from the Symposium website) should reach the Organization no later than February 28th 2014. Abstracts should include the full title of the paper, names, affiliation of all authos, e-mail addreses and full mailing addresses of all the Authors, the suggested session and the requested destination (oral or poster presentation). The abstract must clearly describe the content of the presentation and its basis (detailed case study, discussion of experience from practice, preliminary research data, completed research not presented previously, review of literature, administrative initiatives and regulations, etc.). The Leading Author should be clerly indicated.

Each Leading Author may submit no more than three abstracts; the sender will be considered as corresponding author by the organisation.

The official language of the Symposium will be English. All papers must be presented and written in proper English. Authors will be expected to attend the conference and present their papers themselves.

In addition, the Symposium will arrange a session to be held entirely in Italian, in order to facilitate the prticipation of local delegates. Italian authors may freely submit papers for inclusion in both English and Italian sessions (in the English and Italian languages, respectively). Deadlines and proeedures for paper submission remain the same as those described above.

Leading Authors of accepted papers (one author per paper) will be entitled to a discounted entrance fee. This discount is not cumulative with other reductions and payment is due strictly following notification of paper acceptance. Papers will be selected following evaluation by an international panel of referees. Acceptance of papers will be notified to the Leading Author non later than March 31st 2014.

Full papers should be addressed to the Organizers and received no later than June 30th 2014.

Papers will be evaluated by the Executive Programme Board and those deemed to be of poor quality will be removed from the Symposium Programme. All papers accepted for presentation at the Symposium will be published in Proceedings available at the start of the Symposium.

Abstracts should be addressed to: papers@venicesymposium.it

Please send you abstract by e-mail as a Word file (.doc) attachment. The file should be saved using the Leading Author's surname (e.g. Smith.doc).

 

Symposium Themes

The symposium will last four days and will include the following topics:

A. Biomass and waste characterisation as a potential energy source

B. Renewable fuel (Biodiesel, Biomethanol, Gas liquification, Hydrogen)

C. Anaerobic digestion

D. Refuse-derived fuel (RDF)

E. Thermal treatment (Combustion, Pyrolysis, Gasification and Others)

F. Economic aspects

G. Decision tools

H. Policies and Legal aspects

I. Climate change and Sink

J. Ecotoxicological aspects and Health issues

K. Public acceptance

L. Experiences and new developments

M. Developing countries

 

For further enquiries and information on registration, exhibition, accommodation, etc, please contact the Organising Secretariat:

Eurowaste

Via Beato Pellegrino 23

35137 Padova, Italy

Tel. +39 049 8726986

Fax +39 049 8726987

email: eurowaste(at)tin(dot)it

www.venicesymposium.it


ICWMT 2014 - 9th International Conference on Waste Management and Technology

Beijing, China. 29-31 October 2014


 

With the approval of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, the International Conference on Waste Management and Technology (ICWMT) initiated by Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific has been held for 8 times since 2005. It is an important international platform for specialists and officials to discuss scientific problems, exchange experiences, and look for innovative solutions. The ICWMT attracts a great number of participants from governments, research institutions, universities and industries annually. The ICWMT 8 attracted nearly 500 delegates from 28 countries.
On this basis, the ICWMT9 will be held in Beijing on October 29-31, 2014. In line with the spirit of "Maximize Recycling of Waste, Protect the Environment, Promote the Construction of Ecological Civilization", the theme of ICWMT9 is "Towards Closed Loop of Waste Management". And some most famous experts and government officials will be invited to give keynote speeches on the hot issues of solid waste, valuable chances for all the participants to present and communicate ideas are provided. Free technical field trip to e-waste and hazardous waste treatment will be arranged.

Website: http://2014.icwmt.org

Call for Paper and Second Round of Announcement: click here

Enterprises Publicity and Cooperation Scheme: click here


ICLRS 2014 - 8th Intercontinental Landfill Research Symposium

Florida, USA. 19-22 October 2014

 

The 8th Intercontinental Landfill Research symposium will be held October 19-22, 2014 at the Plantation on Crystal River, Florida. The ICLRS serves as the premier international meeting for an exchange of ideas among landfill researchers throughout the world. In contrast to other meetings, the focus of this meeting is on leading edge research covering all aspects of landfills. The objectives of the symposium are to (1) assemble the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in the solid waste field, (2) address a broad range of topics related to landfills, and (3) discuss and debate current knowledge and future directions. The emphasis of the ICLRS is on critical discussion and detailed exploration of a topic.

Website: http://www.ICLRS2014.com