The Waste to Value Forum 2026, held on 15 May 2026 at Conference Aston, Birmingham, marked another important milestone in strengthening UK–Saudi collaboration in waste management, circular economy innovation, and sustainable resource recovery. The one-day hybrid forum brought together academics, policymakers, industry leaders, investors, innovators, and government stakeholders from the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia to explore practical pathways for transforming waste streams into economic and environmental value.
The forum was organised as part of the UK–Saudi Waste2Energy Initiative, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in collaboration with Aston University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), Saudi Arabia.
The event attracted strong international participation, with around 50 delegates attending in person and more than 75 participants joining online from across the UK, Saudi Arabia, and other international locations. The forum highlighted the growing momentum behind UK–Saudi partnerships in advancing sustainable waste-management solutions aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and global net-zero ambitions.
The programme featured three dedicated thematic sessions covering Biochar and Carbon Management, Plastic Circular Economy and Recycling Innovation, and Waste-to-Energy and Resource Recovery Pathways. Speakers from universities, government bodies, research institutions, and industry shared insights on emerging technologies, policy frameworks, market opportunities, pilot projects, and investment potential within the waste-to-value sector.
A key focus throughout the forum was the importance of translating research and innovation into scalable real-world solutions. Discussions explored opportunities for joint UK–Saudi pilot projects, technology transfer, commercial partnerships, and future research collaborations across multiple waste streams, including plastics, municipal solid waste, biomass, and industrial residues.
The forum also showcased the newly developed UK–Saudi market reports and strategic roadmap papers covering Biochar, Plastic Recycling, and Municipal Solid Waste-to-Energy sectors. These reports provide valuable insights into market trends, policy drivers, investment opportunities, and collaboration pathways to support the Kingdom’s circular economy transition.
The event concluded with interactive panel discussions and networking sessions, enabling participants to identify future partnership opportunities and strengthen cross-sector engagement between UK and Saudi stakeholders.
The strong attendance, high-quality technical discussions, and active engagement from participants demonstrated the increasing interest in practical and commercially viable waste-to-value solutions across the region. Building on the success of both the Behaviour Change Policy Forum and the Waste to Value Forum 2026, the UK–Saudi Waste2Energy Initiative continues to play an important role in supporting knowledge exchange, innovation, and sustainable development within the Kingdom’s waste-management sector.
For more information about the initiative and future events, visit.
