An agenda-setting conference at Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) assembled some of the world’s leading experts on waste.

The three-day Opening the Bin 3 (OtB3) event attracted close to 100 specialists from 20 countries across six continents, including researchers from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Kenya, Lebanon, and the UK.

Social science and humanities academics, in company with industry practitioners from Kenya and Lancashire, discussed issues ranging from ocean plastics to the circular economy, household recycling behaviour, waste work to waste disposal regulation.

Attendees also took part in a photographic waste safari in Lancaster City Centre, a field trip to Relic Plastic’s recycled plastic foundry in Lancaster, and enjoyed a pop-up food event with Kay Johnson MBE, of the Larder in Preston.

Event organiser Dr Alison Stowell, of LUMS, was thrilled with the success of OtB3, and said: “Opening the Bin 3 allowed us to further cement our growing community of more than 250 social science and humanities researchers in waste.

“Thanks to the efforts of people across the Management School and the attendees from across the globe, the event was a great success, allowing the diverse community of researchers to discuss and explore so many of the key issues for the future of the planet that can be found in the sphere of waste.

“We have received positive feedback about the welcoming environment here in Lancaster, and the high standards we have set for future events. We have been filled with inspiration by the event, and all of us are really looking forward to continuing to grow the interdisciplinary waste research space for years to come.”

OtB3 complements research taking place in LUMS. The Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, whose members include Dr Stowell and other conference attendees, provided support for the conference, which also featured presentations by members of Lancaster’s Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives (PPiPL) project.

Professor Katy Mason, Lancaster University Management School Associate Dean for Research, said: “Opening the Bin was an immense success for us here in LUMS and for all the attendees. Sustainability is a crucial area for our research, and one where we have established expertise, so it was wonderful to support and welcome such an esteemed group of international, interdisciplinary researchers.

“It has been wonderful to showcase the research culture we are working so hard to create at LUMS, and to highlight the amazing work that is going on in this important field both within our School and in the global academic community.”