Write up about the Conference
The International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management (ICSW) is an annual conference where researchers, government officials, consultants, educators, managers and community leaders from 40 countries meet to present and discuss important topics of solid waste technology and management. The ICSW is a conference sponsored by the Widener University and the Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management. This year, the 29th ICSW was held in Philadelphia, PA USA from March 30 – April 2, 2014. The following are the highlights of activities during the 29th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management:
- 200 presentations from 40 countries
- field trips (to Cherry Island Landfill in Delaware managed by the Delaware Solid Waste Authority and the Wilmington Organic Recycling Center (WORC), the most state-of-the-art, large scale commercial food and yard waste composting facility in North America.)
- continuing education with professional development hours
- social/networking program
- pre-conference tour of Philadelphia
- a unique opportunity to learn about solid waste advances around the world
Feedback on paper presented
Experts in the field of solid waste management thanked the presenter for sharing waste management practices in the Philippines for which little data has been published. It was noted that the paper is a good contribution in the documentation of the management practice of construction waste in developing countries. Additionally, it was emphasized that the paper will provide a very good baseline data in coming up with a “comprehensive” waste management plan in the Philippines. There were only two questions asked after the presentation: (1) local legislation regarding solid waste management and (2) current practice of handling hazardous waste generated during construction.
Future directions of research presented
Due to lack of published documentations on waste management strategies for construction waste in the Philippines, the author plans to publish a more comprehensive version of the research paper in a peer-reviewed journal ie Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management (conference sponsor). Another direction of the research presented is continuing the study by addressing the recommendations on the research presented. Among the immediate plan is to conduct a study that will quantify waste produced during construction. Waste characterization is very important to come up with proper waste management plan.
Potential foreign collaborators
Dr. Ronald Mersky
Conference Chair and Associate Professor & Director of Outreach and Recruitment
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
P.E., Pennsylvania
tel: 610-499-1146
[email protected]
Raul Oliveira Neto
Professor, Eng. De Minas, Sc PhD
Federal University of Pampa
[email protected]
Other important contacts and insights
Jason M. Munyan, P.E., BCEE
Senior Facility Manager
Delaware Solid Waste Authority
Cherry Island Landfill
[email protected]
The participant learned a lot about solid waste advances around the world. During the conference presentations and professional development course, the participant realized that in general, the Philippines lack research on solid waste management. While there ahs been several studies conducted on utilization of waste materials in the Philippines, much can still be studied in areas of solid waste management, waste stream optimization and life cycle analysis of solid waste.
Short write-up of one’s participation (to be used to feature/publicize the grantee’s participation in the conference)
Through funding support from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and the UP DOST Engineering Research of the Development of Technology Faculty Research Dissemination Grant (ERDT FRDG), Christian R. Orozco, Instructor of Civil Engineering was able to present his paper “Waste Management Strategies for Construction Waste in the Philippines” has been accepted for oral presentation in the 29th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management in Philadelphia, PA USA on March 30-April 2, 2014. The paper was a study he conducted with his undergraduate advisee, Mr. Stephen Dominic C. Maningas also from the Institute of Civil Engineering. The research presented includes documentation of local construction waste management practice, stakeholder’s perception on waste management benefits in the Philippines, waste stream of construction waste and comparative review of local management strategies with best practices abroad. Researchers, educators, government officials, consultants, managers, community leaders and others with expertise in solid waste from over 40 countries presented their works in the conference. The participant was also able to complete the professional development course on “Natural Gas Recovery and Processing: Hydraulic Fracturibng, Landfill Gas and Anerobic Disgesters” and visit Cherry Island Landfill in Delaware managed by the Delaware Solid Waste Authority and the Wilmington Organic Recycling Center (WORC), the most state-of-the-art, large scale commercial food and yard waste composting facility in North America
