Litter has become a significant problem in many urban areas. Cities and communities can’t keep up with the speed at which public trash bins are filled, causing them to overflow. Waste bags in front of our houses become targets for wind, rain, and animals. And the quantity of packaging that consumers face is uncontrollable. Discarded cans, plastic bottles, snack wrappers, and plastic bags end up in nature, waterways, soils, animals, and eventually, in our bodies.

Should we continue on this path? Some countries and cities are rethinking their waste management strategies, investing in innovative solutions, and implementing laws to reduce the problem at its source.

That’s why City to Ocean has invited experts from Germany, Prague, Paris, Stockholm and Brussels to share their ambitious projects. Germany has the world’s most successful deposit return system for cans and plastic bottles, Prague envisions a waste-free city with underground waste containers and trucks equipped with smart sensors, Paris is in the process of implementing a new French law (AGEC) to avoid waste at the source, Stockholm collects and transports waste through vacuum tubes, and Brussels has inaugurated new waste centers with a focus on the reuse of materials.

We invite all professionals, policymakers, and engaged citizens working on or interested in this theme. This conference is an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from international examples, and be inspired by what’s possible.

Program