Conferences & events

IFAT 2016 focuses on recycling

The world’s leading trade show for environmental technologies will take place at the Messe München trade show center in Germany from May 30 to June 3, 2016.

Waste management in the European Union (EU) is being improved constantly. However, the economy continues to lose enormous quantities of potential secondary raw materials. It is against this backdrop that the European Commission is working on a new Circular-Economy Package to serve as a roadmap for avoiding and reusing waste and formulating long-term recycling objectives.

Martin Faulstich, chairman of the German Council of Experts for Environmental Issues, a professor at Clausthal Technical University and managing director of CUTEC GmbH, explains: “When the circular-economy strategy emphasizes the right aspects, we will be able to improve environmental protection and recycling performance in the EU even further. However, it is essential that we think and act in a multisectoral, evidence-based, practical and implementation-oriented manner.”

In addition to residential waste, IFAT focuses on recycling mass flows, such as construction and production waste. Developments targeting smaller, high-value, difficult-to-tap waste groups, such as old automobiles or electronic scrap, also are represented.

Silvia Fritscher, IFAT exhibition director, says, “At the upcoming show, our exhibitors will present the topics of car and building material recycling in elaborate demonstrations at IFAT’s outdoor exhibition site in Munich.”

IFAT also will address recovery ideas for resources that are undeveloped or underdeveloped. Fritscher says, “Flat screens that contain mercury, permanent magnets with rare earths, asbestos waste, slag and bottom ash from thermal waste treatment, cooling agents and propellants from refrigerator recycling or precious metals from production waste water—we can hardly wait to see what recycling developments will be presented at IFAT 2016.”

Visit www.ifat.de/en for details.