On 28 May 2025, the Connective Cities team held the online Ad-Hoc event “Waste Management and Digitalisation”. The Ad-Hoc events are online meetings, in which experts from Germany and the Global South come together in order to discuss a specific topic of common interest. 

By the last event, experts discussed the state of the digitalisation in the waste management sector – and the prerequisites for the development of municipal waste management. During the event, two experts presented their experience in Germany and Lebanon. It was particularly interesting to see that in Lebanon the private social enterprise Nadeera serves as a cutting-edge example, while in Germany waste managed is bedded into a clear legal framework, which strictly regulates the collaboration between relevant stakeholders: ministries, municipalities, private companies, and the public.

Mr. Michel Mokbel explained how Nadeera manages to recycle plastic waste in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates with the support of digital tools. Using their phones, citizens have access to an app, which they can use to identify recyclable plastic waste and get informed about the correct deposit. The application recognizes e.g. bottles using artificial intelligence. Smart bins, reverse vending machines or deposit centers receive the categorized waste. For waste recycled correctly, citizens receive rewards. The playful interaction with citizens promotes their engagement and loyalty, while driving up recycling rates. More than 100 communities in the MENA region yet engage in the platform.

In contrast, PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Abdallah Nassour, who has researched the waste management sector in Germany and the MENA region for over thirty years, emphasized that sustainable waste management is driven more by policy, responsibility, and organization than by technical solutions. According to him, Germany demonstrates a successful model where municipalities play a central role, supported by a clear legal framework and a well-structured financing system. Waste fees, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and private sector involvement ensure cost recovery and operational sustainability. The country operates thousands of treatment facilities and has developed a strong workforce and educational foundation for circular economy practices. The MENA region faces challenges such as weak regulations, insufficient funding, and limited technical expertise. Landfilling remains the cheapest option, and sustainable waste strategies are often lacking. However, there is significant potential for composting, energy recovery, and refuse-derived fuel (a type of fuel produced from non-recyclable waste materials use) especially in collaboration with the cement industry. Implementing EPR systems and optimized waste collection are essential next steps. Municipalities should lead the transition, with support from the private sector and international partners. Ultimately, education, financing, and cooperation form the backbone of a functioning circular economy.

The subsequent questions and discussion revealed a great interest in Nadeera's innovative approach. Also, many aspects of Professor Nassour's presentation were commented and furthered. An interest in exchanging on solutions for organic waste and composting became apparent. Following the presentations, the Connective Cities team also offered two peer-to-peer consultations in which individual challenges in ongoing digitalisation projects were discussed among the participating experts. The peer-to-peer consultations highlighted two crucial challenges of the digitalisation of the waste management sector: in municipalities where decisions are centralised to the mayor, advocacy for the digital transformation plays an increasing role; when the digital transformation is ongoing, new challenges may occur and shall be overcome with the participation of every member of the team.

For more information, please contact us at connective-cities(at)engagement-global.de