Innovative waste management solutions with a circular economy focus are being developed by European waste-tech firms who are now venturing into the APAC region. Research suggests that waste-to-energy technologies have great potential in APAC, with a projected CAGR of 5.5% from 2020 to 2025.

To address this subject, the EU Tech Chamber (EUTECH) APAC Alliance organised a much-needed seminar on April 27, 2023. The topic under discussion was, “European Innovations for Asia Pacific and Their Challenges”.

The webinar was moderated by Ms. Judith Yong, coordinator of APAC Alliance at EUTECH, who gave a formal introduction of the panelists and a brief overview of the organization.

The webinar started off with a presentation by our keynote speaker, Dr. Eng. Qahtan Thabit, Energy Recovery from waste and Renewable Energy Consultant at University Rostock. Followed by the keynote speaker, the panelists for today’s webinar were:

·        Mr. Mitsuhisa Okuno, Director of Zero Waste Japan,
·        Mr. Gunnar Anger, Co-CEO of Biofabrik Technologies GmbH.

During the webinar, the speakers discussed the waste management challenges faced by the Asia Pacific region, which include technical, governmental, and economic barriers. They highlighted issues such as deficient infrastructure, poor governance policies, financial barriers, and lack of mixed waste treatment facilities.

The speakers also shared insights on the waste management policies and processes implemented in European countries. They emphasized the importance of mandatory waste sorting policies, Deposit Refund Scheme, and the EU region’s ban on single-use plastics and plastic bags schemes. They also delved into the concept of circular economy and discussed the role of waste incineration and Waste to Energy in the waste management system.

Overall, the webinar provided valuable information into waste management challenges and policies in the Asia Pacific and Europe, showcasing the importance of effective waste management solutions to create a sustainable future.

We want to thank our respectable speakers for their informed insights on this much-needed topic. Moreover, special thanks to Ms. Judith Yong for moderating the webinar and distributing Tree-Certificates to the panelists.

Above all, sincere thanks to all our attendees – your comments, compliments, and questions. Stay tuned for our next APAC Alliance webinar on May 25, 2023, about “Technology Empowered Digital Trade in Asia Pacific”.

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