About SUM 2020

Following the success of the fourth edition held in 2018, SUM 2020 - 5th Symposium on Urban Mining and Circular Economy, organized by IWWG - International Waste Working Group, will be held in Venice (Italy) from 18th to 20th November 2020.

The Symposium, originally planned for 18-20 May 2020 in Bologna (Italy), has been rescheduled due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The event will be co-located with another prestigious IWWG event: Venice 2020 – 8th International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste, already scheduled to take place in Venice at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, from 16-19 November 2020.
The combination of the two conferences will provide the opportunity to build an international reference event in the field of circular economy and recovery of resources from waste, both in terms of materials and energy.

SUM 2020 counts on the Scientific Support of the Universities of Padova, Bologna and several other Italian and foreign universities.

To achieve a virtuous application and optimization of current practice, urban mining and circular economy are dependent on the appropriate combination of three worlds (TRIANGLE concept): research and technology (private and public) / administration, economy and industry / policy and regulation. This combination is equally important in other fields of waste management, although is of paramount relevance for a Circular Economy. SUM 2020 will focus on all relevant and innovative aspects relating to these three worlds. 

The Symposium will last three days and will include oral sessions, a poster session and technical tours. The following topics, among others, will be extensively discussed: waste avoidance, sources and characterization of resources in urban areas, technologies for the extraction of materials, techniques of waste segregation, separate collection, takeback programs, recirculation pathways and markets, recovery of abandoned urban areas, carbon and water footprint of material recycling, economic and legal aspects, urban mining and circular economy concepts in developing countries.

Advantageous conditions will be offered to companies wishing to display their practical experience and innovative technologies. Meeting opportunities will also be created to foster cooperation between those involved in industrial production and material recycling.