The congress is being held in La Paz (Bolivia) and brings together the leading representatives of waste management in Ibero-America

David Bote, president of the Maresme Consortium for Municipal Solid Waste Treatment, is one of the guests invited to share experiences and present future initiatives within the framework of the VI international seminar “Integral Management of Solid Waste towards Sustainability”, which is taking place in the city of La Paz (Bolivia) from the 18th to 20th of June. Participating in the event are experts and representatives from more than 100 institutions and local governments from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain which form the International Network of Solid Waste Management (RELAGRES). Specifically, Bote will give the presentation ‘PUBLIC POLICY AND REGULATIONS, Spanish and European Policies in Waste Management’, in Tuesday’s session.

The aim of the RELAGRES congress is that the participant Ibero-American municipalities and supramunicipal entities have plans in place for solid waste management. One of the conclusions of the V congress, held last year at the Tecnocampus in Mataró, and organised by the Consortium, was that in the countries which make up South America in particular, only 20% of the municipalities have defined plans for this area. Another of the RELAGRES projects is to consider and implement, where possible, the successful experiences of its members to influence the maximising of resources and the diversification of energy sources which preserve the environment. These shared experiences can result in informed decisions being taken and favourable public policies being implemented. Furthermore, the congress will look to achieve a more precise understanding of worldwide projects dedicated to energy generation from solid waste. Another of the key themes of debate during the congress in La Paz is the transition to a real circular economy.