Resource Futures partners with ISWA World Congress 2026
16 June 2026
Resource Futures has partnered with the ISWA World Congress 2026 as its Innovation Partner, joining a global gathering focused on the future of waste and resource management.
Taking place at London’s QEII Centre from 9th–11th November 2026, the Congress is expected to bring together more than 1,200 participants from over 50 countries. Policymakers, researchers and practitioners will meet to share expertise, explore solutions and build international collaborations.
Hosted by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the event returns to the UK for the first time in 30 years.
A timely moment for the sector
The 2026 Congress lands at a time of growing pressure on waste systems worldwide. Projections suggest global waste generation will continue to rise significantly in the coming decades – with municipal solid waste predicted to grow to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050 – increasing the need for coordinated evidence-led responses.
Alongside this, the policy landscape is shifting. International efforts to address plastics pollution are ongoing, with informal discussions taking place in Nairobi from 30th June to 3rd July intended to revive the stalled global plastics treaty. At the same time, new structures such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) are being established to strengthen the link between scientific evidence and policymaking.
Taken together, these developments point to a common theme. Shared understanding, better data and practical implementation are becoming central to how the sector responds.
The role of innovation and data
“Partnering with the ISWA World Congress in 2026 is a great opportunity to share our insights and practical solutions. From designing waste studies to digital waste tracking, we work with organisations to provide the data and analysis needed to plan a less wasteful future.”
Sam Reeve, CEO at Resource Futures
Resource Futures is an independent organisation focused on material resources. Its work spans governments, businesses, non-profits and communities, supporting more resilient systems through research, data, targeted interventions and community impact.
For more than two decades, the organisation has been involved in primary data collection across the UK waste and resources sector. This includes waste composition analysis and the development of datasets that inform policy and investment decisions.
As Innovation Partner, Resource Futures will contribute its expertise in turning complex waste and resource data into intel that supports decision-making, alongside a growing focus on how data can be applied through digital tools and platforms to solve real world resource management problems.
From data to real-world application
“Having the right data is invaluable, but so is the ability to access, understand and apply it. We are continuing to develop the tools and approaches around that data so it can be used more easily to solve real-world resource challenges and support more efficient use of materials.”
Gwen Frost, Director at Resource Futures
Recent work reflects this shift towards practical application. Resource Futures partnered with the Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX) consortium on a five-year, multinational study to build a Europe-wide picture of plastic packaging waste. By developing a rapid field method to distinguish between different plastic film types, the research supports faster progress towards the infrastructure, processing and markets needed for a circular economy in packaging materials.
Closer to home, the organisation has also supported initiatives in London, including helping to develop the London Household Waste Model. Working with ReLondon, Resource Futures amassed waste data on 30 out of the 33 London boroughs, representing data from more than 17,000 households. The model enables users to explore current waste systems and assess and forecast how future policy changes could affect services and material flow through to 2050.
By presenting data in a clear and accessible way, tools like this help identify potential challenges early. They also support the design of more targeted, effective interventions.
Looking ahead to November
The global waste and resources sector must focus on collaboration, transparency and evidence to make meaningful progress. The ISWA World Congress creates an important space for conversation, bringing together different perspectives, but also a shared focus on what works in practice and moving priorities forward.
For Resource Futures, the partnership reflects an opportunity to contribute to that discussion. It is also a chance to connect with organisations facing similar challenges in different contexts.
Those attending can expect a mix of technical discussion, policy debate and practical examples, all grounded in a common goal: improving how resources are managed now and in the future.