Knowledge about combustion by-products (CBPs) is one of the key pillars of CIMA’s activity. We have been continuously developing our expertise in this area for over three decades, combining scientific research with practical implementation and actively building a space for dialogue between science, industry, and administration.

Between 1993 and 2024, Tomasz Szczygielski was the initiator and content organizer—within Ekotech and the Polish UPS Union—of the cyclical conference “Ashes from Energy Production,” one of the most important forums in Poland devoted to the formation, properties, and economic use of UPS. This conference has become a permanent venue for the presentation of research results, industrial experience, and regulatory changes, as well as a space for developing a common language and standards between sectors dealing with UPS. Its continuity and recognition mean that for years it has been setting the direction for the national debate on the role of ash and other UPS in the material and environmental economy.

A natural complement to this activity is CIMA’s role in coordinating and co-creating publications on UPS. We participate in the preparation of scientific and industry studies that document both the development of basic knowledge (composition, reactivity, research methods) and practical technological solutions and standard requirements. As a result, the knowledge base we are building is systematic and cumulative—it serves as a reference point for future generations of researchers, as well as for industrial practice and regulatory institutions.

An important step in the internationalization of this activity was the co-organization of the EuroCoalAsh conference in 2008. This event brought the Polish UPS community into the mainstream of the European discussion on coal ash and its place in the circular economy. CIMA not only hosted the 2008 edition, but also participates in all subsequent editions of EuroCoalAsh in Europe, maintaining a constant presence in the international network of UPS research and implementation.

In addition, Tomasz Szczygielski has been active within ECOBA (https://www.ecoba.com/news.html) since 1999, serving as a member of the Board and Vice President, and since 2013 he has held the status of honorary member of this organization.

He also participates in the international World UPS Network (WWCCPN http://www.wwccpn.org/).

Thanks to this, CIMA remains in constant contact with the global community of experts, which strengthens our competence with an international perspective and access to experiences, standards, and good practices developed outside Poland.

Many years of conference, publishing, and international activity mean that CIMA has at its disposal not only research results, but also continuous, practical knowledge about technological trends, regulatory barriers, and the evolution of the UPS market.

This allows us to combine a scientific perspective with the real needs of the economy and to support the implementation of safe and effective UPS solutions in Poland and Europe, based on our own strong expertise and the potential of our global partners.