The Association of Thermal Waste Treatment Plants in Germany (ITAD) and the energy recovery section of the Dutch Waste Management Association (DWMA/Vereniging Afvalbedrijven) have entered into a "structural partnership" agreement which covers "all matters relating to the thermal treatment of municipal waste and similar commercial waste", the DWMA announced last week.
The organisations signed the agreement at the waste to energy (wte) plant operated by AVR in Duiven in the Netherlands, close to the German border.
Through their cooperation, the two energy recovery associations aim to promote the exchange of information and experience between Germany and the Netherlands, in particular with regard to best practices for climate protection, energy efficiency and raw materials circularity. The associations also want to join forces in communicating to government authorities, businesses and the public about "the important role of thermal waste treatment facilities for society", according to the DWMA. Together, the two industry associations want to address new challenges facing the energy recovery sector.
The Dutch and German industry associations inted to cooperate on "creating platforms and events for the exchange of ideas", jointly support studies, provide "mutual support in initiating attractive projects for the waste to energy industry" and cooperate in public relations and public affairs activities. Taken together, the organisations' members operate 102 wte facilities, 90 in Germany and twelve in the Netherlands.
New challenges for the energy from waste sector
"Our industry has made significant efforts over the past two decades in modernising the waste management infrastructure and increasing recycling and energy outputs, decarbonising our sector by significantly reducing landfilling, and making more waste available as a resource for industry", commented Bastian Wens, ITAD's managing director. "The next challenge that we – and the industry in Europe as a whole – will face is to make constructive contributions to the further development of the circular economy and to climate protection. In partnership with our Dutch colleagues, we can benefit from the exchange of best practices in our industry and establish the most suitable investment climate to make new steps forward."
Mr Wens pointed out that the recently published German carbon management strategy includes the wte sector and the promotion of carbon capture & storage (CCS) and carbon capture & utilisation (CCU) with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2045. "By partnering with our Dutch colleagues who have already gained valuable experience in these areas, we can mutually benefit from sharing best practices and help create the right investment climate to move forward", the ITAD managing director said.
New challenges for the industry
"This German-Dutch partnership strengthens our mutual circular ambitions. Germany and the Netherlands are advanced countries in the field of modern waste management. Sharing lessons learned on the practical implications of EU and national waste management policies in both countries will help us to identify the most successful paths forward. We actively engage with our governments with the aim of remaining resilient and improving our overall performance as a public service," Michiel Timmerije said commenting on behalf of the DWMA thermal waste treatment section. He is the director energy and residues of the organisation's member AVR.
Mr Timmerije underlined that the challenges for the industry are changing continuously. "It is a dynamic environment, as the current concerns regarding laughing gas cylinders and plastic recycling show, and continuous dialogue with all stakeholders is necessary. On both sides of the border, we need business models that allow us to achieve operational excellence. We are therefore very positive about this partnership with our German colleagues."
