Innovation Meets Expertise: Waste Expo Australia 2025 Summit Program Unveiled

1 September 2025

The 2025 Waste Expo Australia Summit is set to deliver unparalleled insights and drive meaningful change across Australia's waste management and resource recovery sectors. With just under two months until the event kicks off at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 29-30 October, the comprehensive summit program is now live, featuring over 100 industry leaders and speakers across three dynamic streams.

The two-day summit runs across Government & Policy, Circular Economy, and Waste-to-Energy & Technology streams, positioning itself as the nation's premier gathering of waste management professionals. As Australia's largest waste management event, Waste Expo brings together leaders in waste, recycling, resource recovery and sustainability, providing an essential platform for collaboration and innovation.

This year's summit will feature keynote presentations from some of Australia's most influential voices in the circular economy. Alongside welcomes from key government officials, the opening day will begin with a priorities session featuring Matt Genever, CEO of Sustainability Victoria, and Tony Circelli, CEO of Recycling Victoria, exploring strategic priorities driving Victoria's transition to a circular economy.

"The summit is an important time for the sector in navigating the complex transition from linear waste management to circular resource systems," said Mr Genever.

“Sustainability Victoria is accelerating the State’s transition to a climate-resilient circular economy and events like Waste Expo are essential platforms for sharing these insights and fostering the collaboration needed to make circularity business-as-usual across Australia."

The Government & Policy stream will tackle some of the sector's most pressing regulatory challenges, including a comprehensive panel discussion featuring representatives from Australia's state EPAs on "Waste Regulation in Focus – EPA Leaders on Driving a Circular Economy." This session will explore key state-level priorities, progress on landfill diversion, and the critical shift from waste disposal to resource recovery.

In the Circular Economy stream, Alison Price, CEO of the Waste and Recycling Industry of Queensland, will participate in a panel discussion exploring innovative approaches to e-waste management and lithium battery circularity challenges, bringing valuable industry perspective to these critical discussions.

"The summit addresses some of the most complex challenges our industry faces today, from e-waste recovery to managing the circular economy implications of emerging technologies like lithium batteries," said Ms Price. "These panel discussions will provide practical insights for operators dealing with these materials daily, while highlighting the innovation and collaboration needed to turn these challenges into circular economy opportunities."

Further focusing on the circular, the Circular Economy stream will showcase cutting-edge innovations and real-world applications, from textile recycling breakthroughs to solar panel circularity solutions. Meanwhile, the Waste-to-Energy & Technology stream will explore the latest advances in energy recovery, AI integration, and biorefinery development, demonstrating how technology is revolutionising waste management practices.

For the first time, Waste Expo Australia will also feature the co-located ecologiQ Greener Infrastructure Conference, creating a unique convergence of resource recovery and sustainable infrastructure expertise. This strategic partnership bridges the gap between resource recovery and infrastructure development, offering delegates expanded networking opportunities and cross-sector insights.

The Waste Expo Australia summit will feature over 100 speakers across 40+ sessions, including leaders from industry like TOMRA Cleanaway CEO James Dorney, academics like Dr Heinz Schandl of the CSIRO, as well as international experts and innovative technology providers.

Outside of the summit sessions, Waste Expo Australia offers a comprehensive trade exhibition with over 120 suppliers showcasing the latest technologies and solutions across waste management, recycling, and resource recovery. Free registration provides access to both the summit and exhibition, plus networking events designed to foster meaningful industry connections.

Over 3,000 attendees are expected, including representatives from waste services, government departments, consultancies, material recovery facilities, and technology providers. The summit offers unprecedented opportunities to collaborate with industry-leading experts across the entire waste and resource recovery value chain.

The summit, trade exhibition, and networking functions are free to attend, with registration now open. VIP ticket options are also available, including premium catering and access to recorded session content. The ecologiQ conference is a paid ticket, with an early bird offer now extended to 3 September.

Register to attend and view the full summit program at https://wasteexpoaustralia.com.au.