Vanya has more than 25 years of experience in waste management legislation, practices and systems. She joined Municipal Waste Europe as their Secretary General in 2012. Vanya is a multinational, multicultural individual who began her career in Brussels in 1996 in the field of environmental policy, beginning her specialisation in waste policy in 1999. After almost 12 years in Brussels, Vanya was offered the opportunity to return to her home country, Greece, with Coca-Cola Hellenic and there held the position of Environmental Affairs Manager for 3 years. She also worked as a special advisor on waste management to the then Mayor of Piraeus, Vassilis Michaloliakos. With the benefit of this combined experience of the waste industry, the producer and the local authority, Vanya Veras is now leading Municipal Waste Europe through the revision of the waste legislation.