Welcome to the latest edition of the BIR information service for members, the BIR eBrief. This overview of BIR’s activities is published on a regular basis, in order to keep you abreast of the most important ongoing actions within your world recycling federation.

In this edition you will find:

Legislation Update:

• Chinese quotas for waste & scrap imports: full lists of 12th batch and 13th batch

Conventions:

• BIR Convention dates for 2020 and 2021 confirmed
• Wrap-up of Budapest Convention

Chinese quotas for waste & scrap imports: full lists of 12th batch and 13th batch

Over the past few weeks, the Solid Waste & Chemicals Management Centre of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China published its 12th batch and 13th batch of waste import quotas, which includes waste and scrap of Aluminium, Copper, Ferrous metals, Recovered Paper and Paperboard.

Most importers listed are supplied through the ports of Tianjin, Taicang, Ningbo, Shanghai, Jiaxing, Xiamen, Qingdao, Nansha, Beilun, Nanhai, Nansha, Tangshan, Fuzhou and Xinhui.

Get out your diaries:  BIR Convention dates for 2020 and 2021 confirmed

At the recent BIR World Recycling Convention in Budapest, the dates for our 2020 and 2021 events have been confirmed.

While some of the venues are still under discussion, BIR leadership under the presidency of Tom Bird has recognised the need to re-establish a long-term schedule so that member associations and companies can better plan ahead.

•    Spring 2020: (17) 18-20 May 2020, Istanbul, Swissôtel The Bosphorus
•    Autumn 2020: (11) 12-13 October 2020
•    Spring 2021: (30) 31 May-2 June 2021
•    Autumn 2021: (24) 25-26 October 2021

BIR will continue to alternate global destinations and European business hubs for its forthcoming conventions.

Wrap-up of Budapest Convention

Our recent World Recycling Convention in Budapest was such a great success! With over 920 attendees representing 452 companies and 53 countries, the participation rate was beyond our expectations, particularly in the current climate of economic doubts and difficulties.

I would like to thank you, also on behalf of BIR President Tom Bird and the Executive Committee, for having contributed to this successful event. It shows your trust in our organisation which we will continue to earn by enhancing our services and actions on your behalf.

I think we can all agree that Budapest was an excellent destination, offering incredible impressions because of its architectural beauty, the pleasant river promenade and, as a special bonus, the beautifully warm and sunny weather. The Marriott Hotel provided a modern, yet cosy backdrop for our event which excelled in networking opportunities, topical programme features (with a special mention of our newly-created Opening Session) and entertaining social events.

Although it is difficult to top up such a great event, I am sure that Istanbul 2020 will not fail to impress you, and we count on your attendance to create the dynamic and interactive business environment that BIR conventions are renowned for.

You can have a look at some highlights of the event in the opening video and after-movie, the post-event report and a selection of photos.

Arnaud Brunet, BIR Director General & the BIR team

Hereafter a short summary of each commodity session:

Opening Session: BIR’s new President places emphasis on education

Spotlight Discussion on Global Trade: “Misrepresented” recycling industry is telling “the right story”

Despite the multiple challenges engulfing the recycling industry, there are also many reasons to be optimistic about its prospects. This was the overarching conclusion drawn by contributors to a debate on global trade which kicked off BIR’s latest World Recycling Convention, held at the Budapest Marriott Hotel on October 14 and 15. Session moderator Michael Lion of Everwell Resources Ltd pointed to the destabilizing impact of China’s new scrap import controls, the continuing uncertainty surrounding Brexit, worrying developments in Turkey and damaging trade disputes. (...) Read more

Textiles Division: Brexit adds complexity to already-difficult market conditions

The textiles recycling industry is suffering from a combination of high supply, falling quality and payment issues among some customers, stated Martin Böschen of Switzerland-based TEXAID * Textilverwertungs AG in his summary of market reports delivered to the BIR Textiles Division meeting on October 14. “We also need to find better recycling solutions for what we can’t reuse,” the Division’s President told delegates in Budapest. (...) Read more

E-Scrap Committee: Time to change from a “hazard” to a “risk” approach to recycling in Europe

Challenges and innovation in WEEE recycling within Europe formed the core of a guest presentation to the BIR E-Scrap Committee meeting in Budapest on October 14. In terms of challenges, Chris Slijkhuis of Austria’s Müller-Guttenbrunn Group (MGG) highlighted material losses through illegal scavenging, collections and exports. In addition, the linking of EU waste and chemicals legislation “can make our life very difficult” when it comes to, for example, brominated flame retardants, he said. (...) Read more

Non-Ferrous Metals Division: “No way back” following transformation in scrap trade flows

At the same time, scrap metal flows have been “transformed” by factors such as changes in environmental policy, added BIR’s Non-Ferrous Metals Division President in his opening remarks to the body’s meeting in Budapest on October 14. (...) Read more

Plastics Committee: Meeting focuses on “unavoidable” technological advances in plastics recycling

“The alarm bells are ringing louder and louder” for plastics recyclers amid worrying economic developments and wider uncertainties, warned BIR Plastics Committee Chairman Henk Alssema of Netherlands-based Vita Plastics in his introductory remarks to the body’s latest meeting in Budapest on October 14. But while many companies are currently beset by problems such as high stock levels, Mr Alssema insisted that he is “more positive” about longer-term prospects for the plastics recycling sector. Many major companies are now incorporating larger quantities of recycled plastic into their products, he pointed out. (...) Read more

Tyres & Rubber Committee: New Chairman sets goal of closer East/West co-operation

Heading up his first meeting as Chairman of BIR’s Tyres & Rubber Committee, Max Craipeau of China-based Greencore Resources Ltd confirmed that he wanted to use his new position to promote closer co-operation between the industry in the West and that in Asia “where very innovative solutions to recycle tyres and rubber scrap are also being used and developed”. Of the more than 6 million tonnes of end-of-life tyres (ELTs) generated annually in China, around 90% are recycled into reclaimed rubber which is then used to produce new tyres and other rubber products. In Europe, by contrast, less than 1% of the ELTs generated each year are recycled into reclaimed rubber, stated guest speaker Fazilet Cinaralp, Secretary General of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association. (...) Read more

International Environment Council: Game-changing developments for plastics recycling in Europe

Focusing on the main policy and regulatory drivers behind a “reshaping” of plastics recycling in Europe, he said the advent of binding targets for recycled content is “already a game-changer within the industry”. The EU has set a goal of at least 25% recycled content in PET beverage bottles by 2025, and 30% for all plastic bottles by 2030. (...) Read more

Paper Division: Delegates debate the outlook for Europe’s recovered fibre surplus

Over the course of the next three to four years, Turkey could provide a home for a significant proportion of Europe’s recovered fibre surplus, it was indicated at the latest meeting of the BIR Paper Division. By the year 2023, Turkish paper mills are expected to have developed a combined annual production capacity of between 6 and 7 million tonnes. However, the country’s collection rate of around 40% is well below that achieved by many developed countries and “is not increasing”, explained guest speaker Ercan Yürekli from TÜDAM, the national association of Turkish paper and plastic recyclers and collectors. As a result, he calculated, there will be a need for annual imports into Turkey of perhaps 2 to 3 million tonnes of recovered fibre, meaning that the country could provide “a solution for some of Europe’s surplus”. (...) Read more

Ferrous Division: Obstacles to free trade in recycled materials also stand in the way of sustainability

The BIR Ferrous Division’s President was responding to a guest presentation delivered to the body’s latest meeting by Viktor Kovshevny of national recycling association Ruslom.com in which he reviewed recent moves in Russia towards scrap export restrictions. Having imposed quotas for the final four months of 2019, the Russian government is now proposing that all export sales business should be listed on a metal exchange platform from April 1 next year for greater transparency. The main problems with such an exchange, he argued, are that “scrap is bought, not sold” and that commercial confidentiality is destroyed. (...) Read more

Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee: “Soft patch” for stainless steel while nickel surges to five-year high

Recent weeks have brought the “confusing” reality of substantially higher nickel prices but a fall in stainless steel values, according to Joost van Kleef of Oryx Stainless BV in the Netherlands. “So how is that possible?” the Chairman of the BIR Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee asked the body’s latest gathering on October 15. Two guest speakers at the Budapest meeting looked to provide some answers to the question. Natalie Scott-Gray, Senior Metals Demand Analyst (EMEA & Asia) at INTL FC Stone Ltd, said the September nickel rally to its highest level in five years was triggered by supply concerns following Indonesia’s decision to bring forward its complete ban on nickel exports to January 2020. The announcement has come at a time of “robust” stainless steel production, booming electric vehicle battery demand and falling LME nickel stocks. (...) Read more

All related presentations and reports are now published on the BIR website in the Members Area. You can access this information using your personal login and password. Please bear in mind that these presentations must not be reproduced or distributed without the prior consent of BIR and the respective speaker.