WM2011 - Global Achievements and Challenges in Waste Management; Phoenix, USA. WM Symposia. Contact: Gary Benda. Tel: 1-803-345-2170; Fax: 1-520-615-8997.

E-mail: gbenda@wmarizona.org 
http://www.wmsym.org/external link, opens in a new tab

The annual Waste Management (WM) Conference, presented by WM Symposia (WMS), is widely regarded as the premier international conference for the management of radioactive material and related topics. WMS is a non-profit organization dedicated to education and opportunity in waste management. It was founded to provide a forum for discussing and seeking cost-effective and environmentally responsible solutions to the safe management and disposition of radioactive waste and radioactive materials.

The annual WM2010 conference attracted over 2,000 registrants from throughout the world and provided significant opportunities for networking, professional growth and education - as well as business opportunities. This conference was attended by decision makers, project managers, and technical and procurement specialists representing the government and private organizations undertaking the global tasks of radioactive material management, decommissioning and site remediation.

WM2011, the conference’s 37th year, is expected to attract representatives from over 35 countries, presenting more than 500 papers in over 100 technical sessions.  WM2011 will be held February 27 - March 3, 2011 at the Phoenix Convention Center's West Building.  The full Preliminary Program is available on the web, along with printed copies mailed on request.  

The WM Conference was first held in 1974 in Tucson, Arizona.  It was sponsored by the University of Arizona to assist the US Department of Energy (US DOE) in the management of high-level radioactive waste.  Since then, it has expanded to other areas of radioactive waste and radioactive material management.  The conference was held in Tucson until 2008, when it was moved to Phoenix and the newly completed Phoenix Convention Center. 

Sponsoring organizations include the American Nuclear Society (ANS), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development / Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA).  The conference is also organized in cooperation with the US DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).