| International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) | |
| Logo Alt: | A daisy and full name of the International Solid Waste Association |
| Type: | Professional association |
| Location Country: | Netherlands |
| Location: | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Key People: | Carlos Silva Filho (president) |
| Focus: | Sustainable waste management |
| Method: | Conferences, publications, working groups, task forces, workshops |
The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) is a non-governmental, independent and non-profit association by statutes and follows the mission statement to promote and develop professional waste management worldwide as a contribution to sustainable development.[1] [2] [3]
ISWA's objective is the worldwide exchange of information and experience on all aspects of waste management. The association promotes the adoption of acceptable systems of professional waste management and of public cleansing through technological development and improvement of practices for the protection of human life, health and the environment as well as the conservation of materials and energy resources.
ISWA is active in a variety of areas, including conferences,[4] meetings, training programs, information development and dissemination, and technical assistance on a global scale.[5] The association has a total of more than 1,200 members in 93 countries. Its network expands to countries with more than 80% of the world's population and represents all aspects of the waste management field: from practitioners and industry to communities, from associations, research institutes and academics to regulatory authorities.
The association is the global forum for waste management with nine technical working groups covering all relevant aspects of sustainable waste management and with special interest in developing country issues.
To more effectively implement its programs ISWA has established regional development networks outside of its traditionally strong areas (Central Europe and the USA). At the present 3 networks have been established:
• Asian and Pacific Regional Network: includes members from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.
• Balcanien, Middle East and Mediterranean Regional Network: includes members from Turkey and Israel.
• Latin America Regional Network: includes members from Argentina and Brazil.
The objective of these networks is to promote sustainable waste management in their regions, to develop a network for local problem solving, to promote ISWA and serve as a link to ISWA programs. Each regional office organizes local meetings, conferences and training events to address issues of concern for a specific region.
The ISWA development programme was created to fund educational and training programmes in the field of waste management as well as sustain a transfer of knowledge to developing countries and economies in transition. The IDP is a World Summit on Sustainable Development Type II Partnership endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme and is financed by voluntary donations from ISWA members, as well as third-party sponsors.
ISWA publications include journals (Waste Management & Research), newsmagazine (Waste Management World), several position and policy papers, key issue papers and various reports from working groups.
ISWA carries out several ad hoc training courses and workshops around the world through its various working groups and in cooperation with other entities. More recently it has launched the International Solid Waste Manager Certification Programme. This programme is designed to provide an internationally recognized certification for individual professional waste managers based on their academic achievements and their practical work experience.