Dubai, UAE – Next Business Media, a leading force in transforming industries through visionary events and technological innovation, proudly announces the second edition of the PolyNext Conference scheduled for November 4-5, 2026, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This premier global platform will once again unite industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, and sustainability advocates to drive revolutionary change in plastic recycling and circular economy solutions.
Website: https://www.polynextconf.com
Building on a Foundation of Success
Following the tremendous success of the inaugural PolyNext Conference in October 2025, which brought together over 500 attendees from across the globe and featured groundbreaking discussions on sustainable plastic management, the 2026 edition promises to be even more transformative. The first conference established Dubai as a critical hub for plastic recycling innovation in the Middle East, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and fostering unprecedented collaboration among industry stakeholders.
The original conference, held at Crowne Plaza Deira Dubai, featured an impressive lineup of thought leaders including Aman Kulshrestha, CTO of Emirates Biotech, and Thomas Lorenz, CEO of Lorenz Kunststofftechnik GmbH, who shared vital insights on collaborative strategies for plastic waste management and circular economy development. The inaugural PolyNext Awards also celebrated excellence in sustainable solutions, recognizing organizations making significant contributions to plastic recyclability.
Addressing Critical Industry Challenges
The timing of the second PolyNext Conference aligns perfectly with urgent global sustainability imperatives. Currently, only 9% of the world’s plastics are recycled, yet polymers continue to power essential sectors including packaging, construction, mobility, healthcare, and electronics. The transformation of plastics into sustainable, circular solutions has evolved from optional to essential for global environmental health.
The Middle East plastics market, particularly in the UAE, is experiencing significant growth with expectations to expand at a CAGR of 3.3% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is being driven by a strategic shift from commodity processing toward technology-led value creation, with clear innovations in advanced recycling, bio-based polymers, and application-specific formulations. Regional players are scaling chemical recycling and circular platforms while startups pilot plant-based resins and tailored polymer blends to meet evolving sustainability specifications.
Dubai: The Strategic Innovation Hub
Dubai’s selection as the host city reflects its position as a testing ground for new polymer formulations and closed-loop solutions that can be exported across the Gulf and Levant regions. The UAE’s fastest-growing sustainability profile is being driven by policy and commercial ecosystems that push circularity while leveraging world-class logistics and free zones to attract converters and brand owners.
National measures to phase out single-use items and broader net-zero commitments are creating immediate demand for recyclable formats and certified recycled content. Strong public-private collaboration and sustainability commitments by major industrial players are positioning the UAE as a regional leader in sustainable plastic innovation.
Conference Focus Areas and Innovation Themes
The PolyNext Conference 2026 will spotlight several critical areas driving the future of sustainable plastics:
Advanced Recycling Technologies: The conference will showcase breakthrough innovations in chemical recycling, which allows processing of mixed plastics typically deemed non-recyclable by traditional mechanical methods. This technology breaks down plastics into their basic monomers, which can then be reassembled into high-quality new plastics, dramatically reducing waste destined for landfills.
AI-Driven Solutions: Presentations will highlight smart sorting robots equipped with advanced sensors and machine learning algorithms that identify and categorize different types of plastics more efficiently than traditional methods. These innovations minimize contamination levels and improve sorting accuracy, leading to higher recycling rates.
Circular Economy Implementation: The event will address key strategies for implementing circular economy principles, where materials are kept in use for as long as possible through recycling, reusing, and remanufacturing processes. This approach reduces dependency on virgin plastic production, minimizes waste, and lowers carbon footprints.
Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: Discussions will examine how regulatory action across the Gulf and Levant is acting as a market-shaping force that accelerates recyclability requirements, restricts single-use products, and raises compliance expectations for producers and converters.
Leadership Vision from Next Business Media
Anas Jawed, Founder and CEO of Next Business Media, brings extensive expertise in international business, technology, and entrepreneurship to the sustainable plastics sector. As the visionary behind multiple industry-leading conferences including AgriNext, FiNext, DSCNext, AINext Conference Las Vegas and Energy Evolution Conference, Jawed has established Next Business Media as a premier platform for fostering innovation and collaboration across critical industries.
Established in 2019 and headquartered in Noida, India, Next Business Media specializes in providing innovative solutions and exceptional experiences for businesses, empowering them through technology and strategic connections. The company’s mission extends beyond event organization to creating vibrant communities that shape the future of industries through visionary platforms that unite innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders globally.
Economic and Environmental Impact
The PolyNext Conference 2026 addresses the significant economic opportunities within the circular economy model. The recycling industry creates substantial employment opportunities while fostering creativity and innovation among professionals. Products manufactured using reprocessed plastic require significantly less energy than producing new materials, contributing to overall energy efficiency goals.
The UAE’s rigid plastic packaging market, expected to reach 0.70 million metric tons in 2025 and grow at a CAGR of 4.79% to reach 0.89 million metric tons by 2030, demonstrates the substantial market potential for sustainable solutions. The logistics boom in the UAE, with demand for industrial and logistics assets skyrocketing by 185% year-over-year in 2024, further amplifies the need for sustainable packaging innovations.
Global Context and Timing
The 2026 conference occurs within a dynamic global landscape of plastic recycling innovation. Europe leads with events like the Plastics Recycling Show Europe and Future of Chemical Recycling Europe, while Asia hosts the Plastics Recycling Show Asia in Shanghai. PolyNext Conference 2026 positions the Middle East as a critical player in this global network of sustainable plastic innovation.
The conference timing also aligns with major industry developments, including the projected growth of the Middle East polymer market, which is expected to reach USD 75,295.96 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.7%. This growth is driven by rising demand for polymer-based products from industries including packaging materials, automotive, aerospace, marine, and construction.
Registration and Participation
PolyNext Conference 2026 represents more than a traditional conference—it serves as a catalyst for transformative change in the plastics industry. The event will provide unparalleled opportunities for attendees to engage with industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators while discovering investment opportunities and building connections that drive meaningful change.
With over 500 attendees expected from across the globe, participants will engage in meaningful discussions, explore cutting-edge technologies, and contribute to shaping sustainable solutions for the circular economy. The prestigious PolyNext Awards will once again honor companies and individuals driving innovation and sustainability in the plastics and polymer sectors.
As the urgency around sustainability intensifies and the need for circular solutions becomes more critical, PolyNext Conference 2026 stands ready to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation in plastic recycling and sustainable packaging. This landmark event will continue Next Business Media’s mission of creating platforms where ideas flourish, relationships thrive, and the spirit of innovation propels industries toward a shared future of success and environmental responsibility.
For more information about PolyNext Conference 2026, including registration details, sponsorship opportunities, and the comprehensive event agenda, visit www.polynextconf.com.
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