RIYADH: The IFAT Saudi Arabia conference and exhibition in Riyadh featured dialogue sessions and panel discussions on the future of the water and waste management economy.

The conference reviewed sector developments, trends, and strategies for sustainable growth, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The sessions explored market dynamics and growth opportunities in the water and waste value chains, highlighting innovation and localization strategies to enhance competitiveness, optimize resource use, and align infrastructure investment and regulatory frameworks with sustainability goals.

Participants examined the scale of regional challenges, noting that the region generates about 155 million tonnes of solid waste annually, a figure projected to double by 2050, alongside rising per capita waste rates and plastic leakage into oceans.

Discussions emphasized the economic potential of waste, as nearly 87 percent could be reused, recycled, or diverted, and the need for an estimated $23 billion in annual investment to modernize waste management systems.

The sessions concluded with solutions such as reducing food waste and converting it into biogas or soil amendments, in line with standards that ensure quality and collection efficiency, the SPA reported.

Experts shared regional and international experiences, quality control practices, and strategies for building reliable food waste management systems that enhance economic and environmental value.

With more than 450 exhibitors from 35 countries and 10 national pavilions, the three-day exhibition, which concluded on Jan. 28, highlighted the Kingdom’s role as a regional hub for the environmental and sustainability sectors.