Moving up the waste hierarchy
How can Aotearoa leverage these higher levels of the waste hierarchy to support better material efficiency? What does good product stewardship look like in Aotearoa and overseas? We are looking for case studies of successful schemes in Aotearoa and overseas (including CRS), defining what good product stewardship should look like and what should be prioritised in Aotearoa. How do we design problem waste out of the system? How do we deliver effective resource recovery regardless of scale? This topic also covers innovative or new reuse systems and research, and the next steps for the right to repair movement. We are also keen to examine trends in waste management, examining waste streams that cause issues across the sector and the wider economy, e.g., batteries, C&D waste, and textiles. What are the innovative and upcoming solutions for these streams and others?
Soil management & reuse
We are seeking presentations focused on sustainable soil management practices, beneficial reuse pathways, and frameworks for evaluating soils with low-level contamination. Presentations may cover technical, regulatory, or economic aspects of soil reuse, treatment technologies, circular-economy approaches, and risk-based criteria that support responsible resource recovery while protecting environmental and human health.
Organics, an underutilised resource
It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. Tell us your organics stories, including the opportunities and challenges related to organic products and systems, from biogas to biochar, pyrolysis to gasification. Of particular interest is anything related to biosolids - use, treatment, disposal, and addressing emerging contaminants from PFAS and microplastics in biosolids. What’s worked? What hasn’t worked? How does Aotearoa stop this resource going to waste and support better outcomes for the country and communities?
Risk assessment & communication
This topic explores approaches to evaluating environmental and human health risks, alongside effective strategies for communicating uncertainty and complex scientific information to stakeholders. Presentations may address quantitative and qualitative risk methodologies, community engagement, risk perception, and tools for transparent decision-making. Case studies demonstrating successful communication with regulators, industry, and affected communities are particularly encouraged.
Policy, regulation & governance
2026 brings another general election, and a chance for us to consider the policy and leadership we need to move the wider sector forward. How do we align with government’s priorities? What should our sector’s priorities be? What do we want the sector to look like in the future, and how do we move beyond theory to seeing this into action? In the absence of policies and legislation, how does the sector strive for better? There is likely to be disagreement, but the future is coming - ready or not! Also of interest is the evolving regulatory landscape and governance models shaping contaminated land and groundwater management. Presentations may explore policy innovations, regulatory harmonisation, compliance strategies, governance frameworks, and the role of public agencies, industry, and communities in shaping effective and equitable environmental outcomes.
Placing the future at the forefront
We are keen to continue to explore the role of technology in the evolution of the sector and the growing role of digital tools, automation, and artificial intelligence. What are the opportunities and risks with AI and drones? What infrastructure do we need and where, now and in the future? Presentations may cover data integration platforms, predictive modelling, remote sensing, machine learning applications, digital twins, workflow optimisation, and innovations that enhance efficiency and insight in site characterisation.
Māori and indigenous knowledge & cultural perspectives
Highlighting the importance of indigenous knowledge systems, cultural values, and traditional ecological knowledge in land and water stewardship and waste management. Presentations are encouraged on collaborative governance, culturally informed assessment and remediation, knowledge-sharing practices, and case studies demonstrating respectful partnerships that integrate indigenous perspectives and scientific approaches.
We changed behaviour
Behaviour change is underpinned by behavioural science and structured frameworks that guide intervention design. We’re looking for your experiences implementing waste and resource initiatives where robust data demonstrates whether behaviour shifted. Share case studies with measurable outcomes and provide insights and lessons that others can apply.
Climate IS changing
The sector is already dealing with the impacts of climate change, from vulnerable landfills to disaster waste and site assessment and remediation. This trend will only continue to grow. Share your learnings from first-hand experience, or research that you believe would help the sector prepare and adapt for the next disaster or climate related event, it could be nature-based solutions, climate-informed modelling, or lessons from recent disaster events.
Let’s get technical
How is the sector actively contributing to regenerating Aotearoa? Share your technical expertise or your research into waste management, resource recovery, or contaminated land. We want to highlight how the sector is actively contributing to a regenerating Aotearoa. This could include presentations on detailed risk assessment, modelling, academic research, landfill design and operations, or innovative remediation techniques with examples from Aotearoa or overseas. Share case studies on waste infrastructure engineering, understanding and combating contaminants, or evaluating projects through an indigenous lens.
Groundwater–surface water interactions & contaminant transport
We’re seeking presentations that address the complex dynamics between groundwater and surface water systems and their influence on contaminant fate and transport. Content may include hydrogeological modelling, monitoring techniques, ecohydrological impacts, and integrated management strategies that improve prediction, mitigation, and remediation outcomes.
Collaboration & partnerships
Share your success stories with public-private and council collaborations. Where it hasn’t gone well, tell us why and what could you have done differently. Tell us about community-led partnerships that are achieving long-term impact. How have you partnered with mana whenua and what are your learnings?
Next-generation practitioners / early career professionals
We want to highlight the contributions, challenges, and development needs of emerging professionals across the wider contaminated land and groundwater management, waste, recycling, and resource recovery sectors. Submissions may include case studies, innovative project approaches, new research directions, interdisciplinary perspectives, and discussions on capacity building, mentorship, and the future of the profession.
Sustainability
Those working in the environment space are acutely aware of the impact of human decision-making on the environment and its ability to shape our future. We are seeking submissions that look at how sustainability principles can be embedded into project planning. Topics may include carbon-footprint reduction, innovative diversion solutions, culture and policy change, and long-term adaptive management under evolving environmental conditions.
Emerging and established contaminants and hazardous chemicals: assessment and management
Focusing on the identification, environmental behaviour, detection, and management of both emerging and established contaminants. Submissions may address contaminants such as PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), industrial chemicals, and other novel or legacy pollutants of concern. Submissions should enhance our understanding of regulatory developments, toxicological pathways, exposure science, dose–response relationships, and the ecological and human health impacts associated with contaminant exposure. Topics could explore sampling and analytical methods, guideline values and risk interpretation, and regulation, policy, and management frameworks.
Snapshots
This session is a firm favourite with the audience (previously called Pecha Kucha) and allows you to present a snapshot about anything that you are passionate about in around 10 minutes. Are you ready to bust some myths, half-truths or conspiracies? Have you got a good news story? Are you trying out something new with your team? The sky is the limit!
