Waste Summit Shines the Spotlight on Innovation
The future of waste is set to be circular, data-driven, and collaborative – but industry experts warned that progress will rely on balanced policy, proven technology, and sustained investment.
This was the overarching message at our first-ever Waste Summit, which took place last month, where we welcomed more than 200 waste professionals for a day of insight, innovation, and open discussion. The event brought together an exceptional line-up of speakers from Mura Technology, Go4Greener, Sustane Technologies, Waste Fuels and Recycling, Impact Air Systems, SLR Consulting, and AMP Robotics, alongside Dr Stephen Wise, Chief Strategic Development Officer at Advetec.
The Summit had two key aims – the first, to get the waste community thinking about alternative ways to handle challenging waste streams, and the second, to create a community of waste innovators – that is, businesses doing things differently and harnessing the innovative waste solutions already making a difference in the UK.
Loira Browning, marketing manager at Advetec, said: “We organised this event in partnership with l letsrecycle.com because we know how crucial it is to help the industry navigate complex changes. We wanted to shift the conversation beyond the legislative drivers to give attendees actionable ideas and practical solutions so they can become less reliant on traditional methods, reduce their carbon and stabilise costs.”
The waste summit’s discussion on new and emerging waste treatment techniques was particularly enlightening, offering practical insights into some of the options already available on the market. Andrew from Impact Air Systems explained how air-based separation technologies are enhancing recycling performance and material purity, while Chris from Mura Technology discussed the potential of hydrothermal technology in transforming waste plastic into valuable hydrocarbons and Conor from Go4Greener outlined how biotechnology is extracting value from offensive washroom waste on site.
Loira added, “As a business, we’re on a mission to find waste innovators, and based on the speaker line-up, the questions posed by the audience and the conversations we’ve had since, there are lots of them out there.”
For a quick run-through of Advetec’s 2025 Waste Summit, here are our eight most compelling takeaways.
- Landfill vs Energy from Waste: By 2035, landfill could be cheaper than energy from waste (EfW) once emissions trading costs are applied. This presents a challenge for the waste hierarchy and requires policymakers to keep landfill tax high enough to discourage landfill use and promote low-carbon innovation
- Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS): Adding CCS to EfW offers major carbon benefits but comes with significant cost and infrastructure challenges, especially around transport and storage.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): SAF from waste shows promise thanks to government subsidies, but its reliability and cost range remain uncertain.
- Momentum: The sector is already embracing new technologies such as AI-driven sorting, biotechnology, pyrolysis and gasification, which promise to unlock higher material recovery and circular value.
- Feedstock Availability: Consistent, clean feedstocks are a major barrier for scaling up new recycling and fuel technologies. Policies supporting source separation and “Simpler Recycling” will help.
- Circular Economy in Action: Go4Greener and Advetec showcased on-site biotechnology as a practical and circular way to turn hard-to-handle waste streams into a commodity.
- Market Dynamics: The waste landscape is fragmenting, with smaller, innovative tech companies partnering with large operators – creating a new model of collaboration and competition.
- AI Transformation: AI-based recognition and data reporting are delivering real-time waste composition insights – improving compliance, safety, and profitability.