RCA Presents: Explore Circularity Day 2025 – Waste-to-Energy

What is Explore Circularity Day 2025?
The inaugural RCA Explore Circularity Day will take place on March 10, 2025, at the Productivity and Innovation Centre at NAIT in Edmonton, Alberta, and will tackle a hot topic: should there be a place for waste-to-energy in the Circular Economy?
Explore Circularity Day is a new concept where, once a year, the RCA will explore a circular economy topic in greater detail. This year, we will dive deeper into the topic of waste-to-energy (WTE) and its role in Alberta’s circular future, discussing all sides of the perspective, to help you explore your stance and make decisions on the topic moving forward. Through a balanced exploration of diverse viewpoints, we aim to provide you with the insights needed to shape your understanding and inform your decisions on this critical topic.
Explore Circularity is an event designed to provide a platform to explore complex topics and serve as a forum to ask questions and learn from others. It is a day to gain technical insights from experts, access practical tools to support decision-making, and learn from the experiences of jurisdictions that have investigated, made, or implemented decisions already.
Event Details
- Date & Time: March 10, 2025, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Location: Productivity and Innovation Centre, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta
- Cost:
- $250 for members
- $300 for non-members
- Group Rate: Register 5 attendees from the same organization for the price of 4
- Official Hotel: Matrix Hotel Edmonton – Click Here for Exclusive Rates
- Note: This event is the day before the Alberta Plastic Recycling Association’s Alberta Circular Plastics Day, at the same location, for your travel, learning and networking convenience.
Why Attend?
Explore the Topic: Waste-to-Energy
Through expert talks, interactive sessions, and panel discussions, we’ll collaboratively explore and gain in-depth knowledge about waste-to-energy technologies and – as a hot point of discussion – explore whether waste-to-energy should have a role in the circular economy and its path toward it. Gather valuable insights and explore the critical questions to consider when making informed decisions about waste-to-energy technologies and their implications for wider waste management strategies.
Networking Opportunities
Join waste-to-energy experts, municipal leaders, industry professionals, and fellow RCA members as they delve into waste-to-energy in our province, its place and space in the pursuit of the circular economy, and the future trajectory of waste-to-energy technologies in Alberta and beyond.
Exhibitors
Do you have something to share or showcase? We anticipate a large number of municipalities and senior leaders will be in attendance. Display your expertise in our exhibition hall, designed to facilitate deeper discussions and interactive learning on waste-to-energy topics. Meeting rooms will be available to book if you wish to arrange private conversations with attendees.
Agenda
- 8:30 am – 9:15 am Exhibitor set up
- 9:15 am – 10:00 am – Registration and Exhibit Viewing with Light Breakfast
- 10:00 am – Welcome and Introductions
- Opening remarks from the RCA and invited dignitaries to help frame the purpose, hope, and intention for the day.
- 10:15 am – Session 1 – Getting on the same page
- Topic: The Basics of CE and WTE
- Description: This session will guide participants through the core concepts of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) and the Circular Economy (CE) including definitions of essential terms and the key principles and elements that underpin both fields. The purpose is to enable a clearer understanding of the foundational elements that will shape the day’s explorations, preparing you for the thought-provoking sessions ahead.
- 10:45-11:00 am – Refreshments and Exhibit Viewing
- 11:15 am – Session 2 – Regulatory Landscape for WTE in Alberta
- Topic: Insights into the CE policies and WTE regulations in Alberta
- Description: This session invites you to explore the evolving regulatory landscape for Waste-to-Energy (WTE) in Alberta. Hear directly from representatives across various levels of government as they share insights into the current frameworks and policies influencing WTE practices in the province. We’ll uncover how these regulations are being applied in real-world contexts and what that means for decision-makers in the room. We will also look beyond Alberta’s borders, comparing how other jurisdictions regulate WTE and how those differences could offer lessons or opportunities for innovation in Alberta.
- 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm – Lunch
- 1:15-2:45 pm – Session 3 – Those who have gone before – how, lessons learned, criteria
- Topic: Municipalities Who Have Done Their Due Diligence
- Description: Have you ever wondered how municipalities determine whether Waste-to-Energy (WTE) is the right fit for their waste management strategy? Especially if they have zero waste or circular economy goals? In this session, we’ll dive into the decision-making process, exploring the criteria and considerations that guide municipalities as they evaluate the potential for WTE in their communities against their wider environmental and economic goals.
- 2:45-3:45 pm – Session 4 – The Popcorn Debate – Present + Debate
- Topic: Proponents and Those Against
- Description: You’ll have the chance to critically evaluate both perspectives as the speakers present their points and counterpoints of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) and its role in the Circular Economy. This debate format encourages you to question assumptions, refine your understanding, and explore the complexities surrounding WTE and Circular Economy practices. By the end of the session, you’ll be able to assess your own position, identify areas where further investigation is needed, and leave with a deeper appreciation for the nuances of the debate.
- 3:50 pm – Session 5 – Reflection and Closing
- We will recap the day and host a short moment of reflection to before the networking session.
- 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Networking and exhibit viewing
Sponsorship Opportunities
Do you believe this is a timely topic for exploration in Alberta? Help make this event a success by sponsoring the day including sessions and/or networking opportunities. Your support will help create a space for meaningful and impactful dialogue for all attendees. For sponsorship information, please contact info@recycle.ab.ca.
*Note, for the purpose of this event, waste to energy will be defined as thermal treatment of waste via mass-burn incineration, gasification, and pyrolysis, and refuse derived fuel. It will not include processes such as anaerobic digestion.
Register Today!
How to register: Click the “Select Options” button next to the registration type you’d like to purchase*, and enter the delegate name and contact info in the form that appears, then click the “Add to Cart” button. If you want to register more than one person, you can enter their contact details into the same form and click “Add to Cart” again. You now have two registrations in your cart. If you added 4 paid registrations to your cart (delegates must be from the same organization), you can add the 5th with the special group rate free registration type. Once you have entered the registration details for everyone, go to your cart, review, and select “Checkout”. You can now enter your billing information and select a payment option to finalize your registration(s). If you have any questions about the registration process, please contact info@recycle.ab.ca.
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ECD2025 – RCA Member
$250.00 Select options -
ECD2025 – Non-Member
$300.00 Select options -
ECD2025 – Group Rate: 5th Registration FREE
$0.00 Select options -
ECD2025 – Sponsor Registration FREE
$0.00 Select options -
ECD2025 – Exhibit Booth, RCA Member
$600.00 Select options -
ECD2025 – Exhibit Booth, Non-Member
$650.00 Select options
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*Every employee of an RCA member company qualifies for the member rate. To find out whether your company is a current RCA member, check whether it is listed on our A-Z Enviro Businesses (membership directory) list or contact us at info@recycle.ab.ca. For more information on how to sign up for an RCA membership, click here.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
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