International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) · Croatian Waste Management Association (HUGO)

registration open

XVIII International Scientific and Professional Symposium on Waste Management, Zagreb 2026

Dates7–9 December 2026
VenueHotel Dubrovnik, Zagreb
EditionXVIII · 2026

The first International Symposium on Waste Management was held in Zagreb back in 1990. With this XVIII edition, the event marks more than 36 years of tradition. As always, it brings together leading experts and researchers from the region.

Contemporary development and the goals of the circular economy place complex environmental, economic and technological demands on our sector. Meeting them calls for innovative solutions through advanced technologies, digitalisation and the integration of artificial intelligence. Closer links between the energy and waste sectors, and the role of producers in the green transition through extended producer responsibility, will be central to the discussion.

Our aim is that the combined effort of the scientific, professional, industrial and municipal sectors produces solutions that address waste through the lens of strict environmental protection and citizens’ constitutional right to a healthy life.

New session: crime in the waste sector

Prompted by recent troubling events in the Republic of Croatia, the programme introduces a new session devoted to crime in the waste sector. We intend to address illegal waste flows, the black market and institutional failures, and, through dialogue with the competent authorities, to define clear mechanisms for lawful operation.

Programme

Symposium topics

Efficiency of separate waste collection
The role of AI in waste management
Energy recovery from waste
The microplastics problem
Extended producer responsibility
Science and industry in the service of waste management
Waste management and climate change
End-of-waste status
Communication and the influence of NGOs in waste management
Crime in the waste sector, illegal flows and institutional oversight
ESG criteria and sustainability reporting in the waste management sector

Key dates

Abstract submissionby 1 Sept 2026
Full paper submissionby 1 Oct 2026
Registrationby 1 Dec 2026

Participants who do not wish to publish a paper should state this when registering.

Registration fee

ParticipantsEUR 300.00
ISWA and HUGO members, students and PhD candidatesEUR 250.00

The fee covers participation in the symposium, digital conference materials, welcome drink, coffee breaks, the Advent gathering and the gala dinner.

IBAN: HR9123900011100479044
Hrvatska poštanska banka d.d. · SWIFT: HPBZHR2X
Reference: XVIII. MSGO 2026 — surnames and names of those the fee is paid for.

Registration

Register your participation

Complete the form and you will receive an offer with a 2D payment barcode by e-mail straight away. A copy goes to the association office. Scanning the barcode in your mobile banking app fills in the amount, IBAN and reference automatically.

01

Complete the form

As an individual or as a company requiring an invoice. You may add several participants to one registration.

02

Offer arrives by e-mail

A PDF with payment details and a barcode. For companies it contains everything needed for the invoice.

03

Payment

Scan the barcode or pay manually, no later than 1 Dec 2026

Preliminary programme

Three days

7 December 2026
Hotel Dubrovnik, Zagreb
8:00 – 15:00
Workshops: Fires in waste management, and Landfill operation
15:00 – 16:00
Welcome cocktail, check-in and registration
16:00 – 18:00
Opening of the symposium
18:30
Advent gathering
8 December 2026
Hotel Dubrovnik, Zagreb
8:30 – 9:00
Check-in and registration
9:00 – 12:30
Presentations
12:30 – 14:00
Lunch break
14:00 – 17:30
Presentations
19:00
Gala dinner
9 December 2026
Technical excursion
All day
Announced: CGO Mariščina and Jama Sovjak

Support

Under the expected patronage of

President of the Republic of CroatiaMinistry of Environmental Protection and Green TransitionCroatian Chamber of EconomyCentral Finance and Contracting AgencyAssociation of Cities in the Republic of CroatiaCroatian County AssociationAustrian Embassy — Commercial SectionCroatian Employers’ AssociationMinistry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure

Committee

Scientific and Professional Organising Committee

prof. dr. sc. Aleksandra Anić Vučinić, University of Zagreb, Croatia
prof. dr. sc. Sanja Kalambura, University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica, Croatia
dr. sc. Susana Paixao, University of Coimbra, Portugal
dr. sc. Renato Šarc, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
prof. dr. sc. Goran Vujić, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
dr. Maja Petrović, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
dr. sc. Draženko Bjelić, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
dr. sc. Zlatko Milanović, Croatia
izv. prof. dr. sc. Dražen Vouk, University of Zagreb, Croatia
doc. dr. sc. Domagoj Nakić, University of Zagreb, Croatia
doc. dr. sc. Vlasta Zanki, University of Zagreb, Croatia
dr. Mariana Golumbeanu, Vice-President
prof. dr. Ilija Brčeski, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Serbia
prof. dr. sc. Siniša Ozimec, B.EN.A., J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia
doc. dr. sc. Ivana Presečki, University of Zagreb, Croatia
prof. dr. Carolina Constantin, Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Romania
prof. dr. sc. Darko Kiš, Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences, J. J. Strossmayer University, Croatia
doc. dr. sc. Merica Pletikosić, Cemex d.o.o., Croatia
dr. sc. Dušan Milovanović, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
James Brown, ISWA, USA
dr. sc. Riva Waldman, ISWA, Israel
dr. sc. Vlatko Trajkoski, MASWA, North Macedonia
M.Sc. Ana Karanfilova Maznevska, MASWA, North Macedonia
Dragiša Marjanović, ISWA, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Gary Hanko, ISWA, Hungary
dr. sc. Krisztina Wegner, ISWA, Hungary
Veselin Šturanović, ISWA, Montenegro
Dan Stoica, ISWA, Romania
Danko Fundurulja, dipl. ing., HUGO, Croatia
Josip Grgić, dipl. ing., CGO Group, Croatia
Robert Podrug, BIKARAC d.o.o. — Waste Management Centre of Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia
Kristian Gašparini, Ekoplus d.o.o., Croatia
Dino Perović, dipl. ing., Eko d.o.o., Croatia
Josip Pavlović, Ekologija grada Association, Croatia
Kosta Gavrilović, Mech. Eng., Hofstetter, Serbia
Ivan Mesić, HUGO, Croatia
Filip Kalinić, mag. ing. aedif., Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, Croatia
Elizabeta Tomašić, mag. ing., HUGO, Croatia
Lana Krišto, mag. ing., HUGO, Croatia
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