Waste Expo 2025 demonstrated its vital role as the gravitational centre for the entire resource recovery sector, shattering previous attendance records and sharpening its strategic focus.
Sherri Pearson, Exhibition Director of Waste Expo Australia, says the success of this year’s event was less about the sheer volume of attendees – though those numbers were impressive, with more than 4200 people through the door – and more about the quality of the engagement and the clarity it offered for an industry navigating a complex path toward Australia’s 2030 waste reduction targets.
The exhibition floor was buzzing throughout the two-day expo, which officially became the largest iteration of the event to date, hosting 153 exhibitors, an increase from 119 the previous year.
This year the expo physically separated itself from the parallel All Energy event. While the move was partly necessitated by the need for more floor space, Sherri says it was also a defining moment for the show’s strategic direction.
“Most people were in favour of the new move away from All Energy,” she says. “We still had over 500 people come through from All Energy – the ones who were relevant to the waste industry – so the quantity of the leads was there, and it wasn’t diluted.”
She says the strategic separation meant that exhibitors were connecting with highly targeted visitors, optimising the time and investment spent on the floor.
Beyond the expanded trade floor, a major highlight was the enhanced content program. The quality of the content was deliberately tailored to match the evolving needs of the sector, ensuring that presentations were not only high calibre but directly relevant to the specific challenges faced by attendees.
“We really customised the content. We try to ensure the topics are a mix of high-calibre presentations and information that is directly relevant to the visitors, the very people our exhibitors are looking to connect with,” Sherri says.
The commitment to delivering specific, actionable insight was evident in the introduction of dedicated streams focusing on technology and safety, both critical pain points for the industry.
A new Government Lounge provided a fresh, designated space for organisations and regulatory bodies to engage directly with the public and private sectors.
A key indicator of the event’s success was the overwhelmingly positive mood on the floor and immediate commitment to next year’s show.
“Our rebooks are very strong,” Sherri says, “We’ve already got a lot of people booked in for next year’s event.”
She says a major element contributing to the event’s vibrancy was the partnership with the ecologiQ event. The collaboration encompassed the whole circularity discussion, successfully bringing the sectors together.
“ecologiQ’s exhibitors are very relevant to the same audience that the waste exhibitors are, so they really benefited from the partnership,” Sherri says. “By combining the two events, uniting resource recovery with recycled materials in infrastructure, we complete the circular economy, directly linking waste innovation to practical application.”
She says the overall vibe of the two days was optimistic, characterised by intense discussion rather than simple browsing.
“There was a really positive energy,” she says. “There was a lot of discussions about what’s happening, a lot on the new precincts and how we can make companies better.
“The audience itself is changing, reflecting the industry’s broadening influence. The audience is increasingly spread across many industries because all parties have to play some role in reaching the government’s 2030 waste reduction targets.”
This broader participation is exactly what the event organisers hope to cultivate. The goal is to make the Waste Expo the essential annual meeting point where industry peers can gain new, insightful information and network with key leaders.
“The success of Waste Expo Australia is driven by its ability to bring together the most influential players in the sector,” Sherri says.
“The 2025 event was two days of jam-packed content and full sessions – a lot with standing room only.
“There was such a great vibe on the floor; I think it was a really insightful event.”
She says future editions will focus on expanding international reach and providing even more value to attendees and exhibitors.
Next year’s event will see exciting enhancements focused on the latest technologies and solutions being developed globally.
Waste Expo Australia will return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 28-29 October 2026.
For more information, visit: www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au
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