Waste Professionals Without Borders
Request support get in touch here
The expertise exists. The need exists. Now there's a way to connect them quickly
Waste Professionals Without Borders is an emerging international roster of experienced waste and resource-management professionals offering expertise where it is needed most.
Many communities and organisations face urgent waste-management, public-health and environmental challenges without appropriate professional support. Meanwhile, experienced professionals want to contribute to valuable international and community projects.
The initiative would connect these needs through an organised, ethical and practical model.
Proposed Areas of Support
Assistance may include:
- Technical advice and waste-system assessments
- Strategy, project, policy and regulatory development
- Mentoring, education and training
- Capacity building and document review
- Stakeholder engagement, partnerships and consortium development
- Disaster and environmental-emergency response
- Implementation assistance
A Hybrid Delivery Model
The initiative would use a hybrid model tailored to each project’s needs and resources.
Pro Bono Support
Limited support for urgent humanitarian, environmental or community needs without available funding.
Cost-Recovery Support
Assignments covering essential professional, administrative and travel costs, without commercial return.
Commercial Support
Fully funded assignments for governments, development organisations, funders and businesses commissioning specialist services.
Commercial income could sustain the network and support selected pro bono or reduced-cost work. Any model would need transparent governance, clear responsibilities and financial controls.
Interested in Being on the Roster get in touch here.
Potential Participants
The initiative may involve:
- Waste-management professionals, engineers and technical specialists
- Policy, regulatory, climate and carbon experts
- Circular-economy and public-health practitioners
- Educators, trainers and development practitioners
- Local and national governments, and community organisations
- NGOs, charities and development agencies
- Universities, research institutions and professional bodies
- Potential funders and sponsors
Guiding Principles
Waste Practitioners Without Borders will be guided by:
- Respect for local knowledge and leadership
- Professional competence, integrity and safeguarding
- Transparency and accountability
- Practical, proportionate solutions
- Capacity building over dependency
- Environmental and social responsibility
- Fair treatment of local and international contributors
- Clear professional limitations and boundaries
International expertise should meet locally identified needs, strengthen existing capacity, and never displace local professionals or impose unsuitable solutions.
Meet the first WPWB professionals
To mark the soft launch of Waste Practitioners Without Borders (WPWB) in time for the ISWA 2026 World Congress, our first roster of vetted professionals is listed below.
The roster will initially be hosted on this website. As the initiative grows, we intend to develop a dedicated online presence for WPWB.
If you would like to connect with someone fill out the request for support link above and below. We will put you in touch to explore your needs and how they may be able to help.
This introduction service is free. Any subsequent work, fees and arrangements will be agreed directly with the professionals concerned.
If you are interested in working with more than one roster member, please send a single enquiry through the email link on any one profile and name the other potential partners you would like to involve.
The Founding International Roster for
Waste Professionals Without Borders (WPWB)
If you need help, these experienced professionals are here to help.
Deborah Sacks
Deborah is a freelance town planner, chartered waste manager and chartered surveyor with many years of expertise in waste management and strategic planning.
She specialises in supporting municipalities and private companies in the delivery of waste management facilities, policy development and procurement. Deborah has experience throughout the UK and internationally, particularly with regard to waste collection and treatment systems in under-developed markets.
Deborah has also delivered training and lectures in waste management systems at post-graduated level.
Rachel Wildblood
Rachel Wildblood is an environmental and waste management specialist with over 25 years’ experience across the UK, Asia, Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean. She supports private companies, governments, United Nations agencies and international finance institutions.
Her expertise includes environmental due diligence, waste strategy, circular economy and procurement. She led Cambodia’s national Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan under UNDP.
A Registered ISO 14001 Lead Auditor, Rachel helps clients develop practical procedures and strengthen environmental management following international good practice.
ALABI Adefowope
Professor Adefowope Alabi is a mechanical engineer and academic with over two decades’ experience in manufacturing, utilities and sustainable industrial systems. His career includes Saint-Gobain Canada, British American Tobacco, Coca-Cola International and Heineken Group.
His expertise covers energy optimisation, wastewater systems, maintenance, reliability, Lean Six Sigma and resource efficiency.
He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and serves as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Highstone International University, USA, supporting applied research and practical solutions for sustainable industry and waste management.
Dr Purva Tavri
I am a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Waste Manager, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, environmental planner and architect with over 15 years’ experience in sustainability, circular economy and environmental governance.
I support organisations and communities in developing practical, regenerative, inclusive and self-sustaining systems. My work has received recognition from CIWM, ISWA and Inspiring Indian Women.
I authored India’s Circular Economy in Action and am directing India’s Circularity, a documentary exploring traditional practices and community knowledge through research, filmmaking and storytelling.
Farrukh Najafov
Farruk is a labour market and skills development expert with over ten years’ experience in Azerbaijan. His expertise includes vocational education, workforce development, green skills and employment services.
He served as Project Component Lead and Labour Market Expert on the World Bank-financed Employment Support Project and has collaborated with ADB, FAO, GIZ and ETF.
With earlier health and safety experience at BP and a Business Administration degree, he combines policy analysis, training development and stakeholder engagement to support workforce reform.
Bharat Bhushan Nagar
Dr Bharat Bhushan Nagar is a waste management and circular economy specialist with a PhD in Energy and Environment and over 25 years’ consulting experience across 22 countries.
His expertise includes EPR, plastics circularity, greenhouse gas accounting, climate-resilient waste systems and investment planning. He has delivered assignments for ADB, GGGI, UNDP, FAO, GIZ, the EU and World Bank.
An ISWA-certified International Waste Manager and UNFCCC roster expert, he connects technical delivery, policy development and climate action with inclusive, sustainable development.
Simon Penney
Simon Penney is an international strategic adviser with thirty years’ experience in waste management, resource efficiency and the circular economy. The above photo taken at the 2008 ISWA World Congress in Singapore were he presented the idea that went on to him founding WasteAid. More recently he founded Simon Penney Waste Consulting, through which he supports governments, businesses and development organisations in addressing complex environmental challenges. His experience spans strategy, extended producer responsibility, training, research and international development. Based between Canada and the UK Simon combines expertise with a commitment to sustainable systems, knowledge sharing and better livelihoods through improved waste management.
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