French Solid Waste Partnership

ASTEE Congress

Pauline — 2026-04-08T12:07:00Z

From 2 to 5 June 2025, Toulouse, France. The 104th ASTEE Congress brought together more than 650 participants under the theme “Accelerating the ecological transition in cities and regions.”

Every year, ASTEE organizes a congress bringing together more than 600 French participants involved in waste and water management.

FSWP Participation

For the 104th edition, PFD organized and moderated the international session titled “From source to sea: how to tackle pollution and waste transfers?”

presentation

UN Biodiversity Conference - COP17

Pauline — 2025-12-15T15:07:18Z

From 19 to 30 October, in Yerevan, Armenia, COP17 will continue to drive commitments and actions towards protecting biodiversity.

The COP on Biodiversity takes place every 2 years. In 2022, it resulted in an agreement on the Global Framework for Biodiversity, which sets targets for signatory countries to protect biodiversity by 2030 and 2050. In 2026, during COP17, signatories of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will be providing a first report on the relevance of their national strategies to implementing the agreement. Given the important biodiversity financing gap, the topic of funding will be central to ensure that commitments for 2030 will be met.

Waste management is essential for public health, improving living conditions and protecting biodiversity. Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of waste helps to limit the impact of this sector on ecosystems and living organisms, in particular through:

Improved collection to prevent waste, particularly plastics and microplastics, from leaking into the environment, both on land and at sea;
The availability and improvement of final disposal facilities everywhere and for everyone, in order to reduce soil, air and water pollution, for example by closing uncontrolled, uncovered landfills without leachate treatment in favour of engineered landfill that comply with the Basel Convention's ESM of waste;
Prevention, the first lever in the waste treatment hierarchy, which reduces waste generation and the use of natural resources, thereby helping to reduce human pressure on ecosystems, fauna and flora.
Implementation of the hierarchy of actions of the circular economy, as trans-sectoral actions that will result in re-establishing a balance with natural resources, through changes in production, consumption and usage patterns.

FSWP participation

Through its participation in COP17 (remotely or in person), the FSWP will continue to highlight and emphasise the intrinsic links between waste and resource management and biodiversity conservation. It will carry the Global Push initiative, which aims to break down silos and work towards waste and resource management with a circularity approach that is truly holistic and systemic. Indeed, it is only through coordinated, cross-sectoral work that we can hope for a decontaminated, defossilised future, where economic growth is decoupled from resource extraction and the well-being of living organisms.
More information on the FSWP's participation to come.

ISWA Congress 2026

Pauline — 2025-12-15T15:06:07Z

From 9 to 11 November 2026, London, United Kingdom. The ISWA World Congress 2026 will be dedicated to knowledge sharing and to showcasing global best practices in resource and waste management.

The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress is the foremost event in the field of solid waste management. Since its beginning in 1972, it takes place in a different location each year, this time in London. It serves as a global assembly, featuring elevated plenary sessions, technical site visits, and a rich cultural and social itinerary. Here, waste management professionals, government officials, industry leaders, policymakers, scientists, and emerging professionals convene, engaging in constructive dialogues to encourage scientific and technical advancements in sustainable solid waste management.

The Congress is always preceded by the ISWA General Assembly, next to the ISWA Board and Scientific and Technical Committee meetings.

UN Water Conference

Pauline — 2025-12-15T14:39:19Z

From 2 to 4 December 2026, Abou Dabi, United Arab Emirates. The 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, aims to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Since the UN 2023 Water Conference, which was the first such event in nearly half a century, the inaugural UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation has been launched and the first UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Water has been appointed.

FSWP POSITION

Pollution travels from land to sea: 80% of plastic pollution in oceans originates on land.
Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of waste as defined by the Basel Convention is one of the most effective and sustainable solutions to reduce river and marine pollution. It protects water quality in hydrographic basins, as a core component of the “source to sea” approach.
The implementation of such management systems is complex, requiring the control of waste collection, treatment, and disposal in ways that protects both human health and the environment. The local waste systems are preventing macro-waste from entering water streams or blocking urban drainage systems, as well as controlling leachate to prevent groundwater pollution.

We demand

... That waste management be recognized as a key element:

to protect water quality and resources, rivers, seas and oceans. We call for it to be recognized in the final statement concluding the UN Water Conference2026.
to drive the negotiations for the upcoming Global Treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, and those under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

Discover the FSWP's statement ahead of the UN Water Conferen below :

FSWP statement

UN Climate Change Conference - COP31

Pauline — 2025-12-15T14:39:08Z

From 9 to 20 November 2026, Antalya, Turkey. It brings together the signatory countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties. Based on this information, the COP assess the effects of the measures taken by Parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention. The Parties also discuss the measures and means that need to be committed to ensure progress towards the reduction ambition, which is then reported into a joint declaration.

Turkey announced 10 priority topics that will guide discussions outside the negotiations and made several announcements emphasizing the importance of reducing food waste and methane emissions from waste:

Zero Waste
Oceans and Seas
Food security
Climate-resilient cities
Powering climate action
Youth and education
Green industrialization
Clean energy transition
Rio synergy
Dynamic and resilient health systems

More information about FSWP's participation to come

World Cleanup Day

Pauline — 2025-12-15T14:34:52Z

20 September was proclaimed “World Cleanup Day” in 2023 by the United Nations General Assembly, in its seventy-eighth session, unanimously adopted under resolution 78/122.

The world produces over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, and almost half of this is not properly managed. Waste that is not collected and treated in controlled facilities not only compromises human safety, but also exacerbates the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Waste production could reach 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.

Waste prevention and management play a key role in building a sustainable future. The aim of World Clean-up Day is to raise the profile of this issue and encourage awareness and collective action to reduce the impact of waste-related pollution on the environment and, consequently, on our health.

High Level Political Forum

Pauline — 2025-12-15T14:34:23Z

From 7 to 15 july 2026, New-York, United-States. Established in 2012 at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) is the forum for monitoring and reviewing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

As consultations begin on establishing a new post-2030 systemic framework, this forum continues to review progress on the SDGs, with a focus this year on SDGs 6 (water), 7 (energy), 9 (industry), 11 (sustainable cities) and 17 (partnerships) in detail. The presence of the French Solid Waste Partnership (FSWP) at this event was essential to highlight the systemic link between the SDG framework and waste and resource management. Indeed, waste and resource management has a key role to play in achieving these SDGs, and sustainable waste and resource management depends on the progress of these SDGs.

FSWP participation

During this event, the FSWP continued to promote the Global Push initiative, which consists of three main areas:

Strengthening the unique systemic framework of the SDGs,
Updating indicators and targets for better waste and resource management around the world, and
The need for a commitment to resources and waste, for sustainable development that respects the environment, guarantees flourishing and rational economic activity, and is the cornerstone of well-being and social justice.

The offical programme for this event can be found here.

BRS Open-ended Working Group - 15

Pauline — 2025-12-15T14:32:34Z

The fifteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG-15) of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS) was held from June 23 to 26, 2026, in Geneva. The French Solid Waste Partnership (FSWP) participated as an observer.

The Basel Convention's OEWG-15 serves as an interim step between two BRS Conferences of the Parties (COPs), which are held every two years. It contributes to the development and implementation of the Convention's work program, specific operational policies, and decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties.

Adopted in 1989, the Basel Convention is now recognized as the leading international convention on hazardous waste. It also defines the principle of environmentally sound management (ESM) of all waste in order to protect human health and the environment (Article 2(8)), an obligation binding on the Parties (Article 4(2)).

Key Topics of Discussion

The FSWP was able to attend the Parties' discussions both in plenary sessions and during the contact group on technical matters. Delegates broadly agreed that, although recent amendments to the Basel Convention—particularly the 2019 amendments on plastics—have expanded its scope, their implementation continues to face practical challenges, particularly regarding the operation of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure applicable to transboundary movements of waste.

The Parties examined various options aimed at improving the effectiveness and consistency of the PIC system, including by simplifying administrative procedures, improving electronic notification tools, and reducing the time required to obtain consent, while maintaining a high level of environmental protection. These discussions were closely linked to the implementation of the amendments concerning plastic and e-waste (the latter's amendments were adopted in 2022 and entered into force in 2025).

The issue of used textiles and textile waste occupied an important part of the discussions, focusing in particular on improving definitions to distinguish between used or textile waste, as well as on challenges related to the classification of this waste stream. Many Parties expressed concern about the PIC procedure requirement for this waste stream, viewing it as a potential unnecessary additional administrative burden, and with potential negative socioeconomic impacts. Discussions also covered persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and used tires.

FSWP participation

During OEWG-15, the FSWP continued to build momentum around the Global Push initiative, which aims to foster cooperation among all stakeholders involved in the sustainable management of resources and waste . This initiative aims to encourage a cross-cutting and cross-sectoral approach to the transition toward a circular economy, reconciling pollution reduction, the shift away from fossil fuels, the decoupling of economic growth from resource extraction, and the preservation of biodiversity.

The FSWP was invited to present the Global Push initiative and the case study of Grenoble Alpes Métropole during the side event “Advancing Zero Waste Approaches: Policy, Enabling Factors, and Good Practices for Waste Prevention and Circularity,” held on June 25. Discussions focused on the actions needed to move towards “zero waste”: offering citizens alternatives to reduce waste generation, extending the lifespan of objects, and ensuring the environmentally sound management of generated waste.

This presentation served as a reminder of the need to move beyond siloed approaches and to mobilize all stakeholders around a common goal in order to accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.

World Environment Day

Lucia Lopez — 2025-12-09T16:21:12Z

World Environment Day has been held every year on June 5 since 1973, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). This year, this awareness-raising day was organized by the Republic of Korea, with the ambitious goal of eliminating plastic pollution by 2040.

While negotiations on a binding international treaty on plastics are still ongoing, this day was an opportunity for the FSWP to reiterate the importance of understanding the challenge of waste management (plastics and other materials) as a challenge of resource management throughout their life cycle.

Improving waste management systems around the world, for Environmentally Sound Management everywhere and for everyone, is therefore a necessary first step, from prevention to safe final disposal. The challenges and pressures posed by the end of life of goods on the triple planetary crisis require profound changes in our modes of production, consumption, and use. With global warming reaching 1.6°C in 2024, the shift from a flow management approach to a management of existing stocks is essential, and this international day was an opportunity to emphasize that the priority is to prevent waste generation.

13th World Urban Forum

Lucia Lopez — 2025-12-09T16:20:09Z

May 17-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the world's leading conference on sustainable urbanization. It is organized by UN-Habitat to bring together all urban stakeholders to discuss sustainable development issues.

The WUF has been organized by the United Nations since 2001 with the aim of highlighting one of today's most pressing issues: rapid urban expansion and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and politics. The issue of waste management is essential, but remains to be addressed in more depth in this forum which tends to focus on habitat and transport as priorities.

First held in 2002 in Nairobi, Kenya, it has been held every two years since then, all over the world. This forum, initiated by UN-HABITAT, is the leading international conference on urban development, involving all city stakeholders: public, private, civil society, and academic, so that they can share their experiences with the aim of defining common guidelines.

FSWP Participation

Although no physical presence was planned for this 13th meeting of the World Urban Forum, the French Solid Waste Partnership (FSWP) is keen to highlight the crucial link between cities and waste. On the one hand, given that the proportion of the population living in cities continues to grow, urban planning is key to the implementation of functional waste management systems that cover all areas in an inclusive and equitable manner, while also protecting the environment and health. Integrated territorial and urban planning is therefore essential, from the design of the housing itself to a territorial network that manages the flows of recovered materials and energy and guarantees the availability of safe final disposal facilities.

Furthermore, environmentally sound waste management improves the livability of cities by improving air, soil, and water quality. It enhances their attractiveness through healthy public spaces and preserved (peri)urban landscapes. Beyond its impact on health, the environment, and economic activity in the region, sustainable waste management improves citizens' quality of life and well-being.

So, as cities face growing demographic pressure and increasing climate crises, thinking about resilience, adaptation, and mitigation for sustainable cities of the future can't happen without thinking about fair, sustainable, and circular waste and resource management.