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

In this edition you will find:

•   Update on legislative/environmental matters:
      China:
           * CCIC North America will resume accepting pre-shipment applications
           * China sets rules for third-party pre-shipment Inspection agencies

•   Conventions:
      Wrap-up of Barcelona Convention
           * Record attendance at 70th anniversary edition
           * Highlights from all plenary sessions
           * Photos / video footage
       London Convention
       * Save the date! 2018 World Recycling Convention (Round-Table Sessions)
             London, United Kingdom, (5) 6-7 October

•   PR & Communications
      Publications
           * Annual Report 2017
           * World Steel Recycling in Figures, 9th edition
      Global Recycling Day
           * Video: The story behind Global Recycling Day
           * BIR and UNIDO sign joint declaration

Legislation / Environment

CCIC North America will resume accepting pre-shipment applications

In a letter dated 1 June 2018, CCIC North America states that they will start accepting inspection applications on 8 June 2018. Exporting companies using the online PSI system for submitting their application are asked to provide detailed information of the inspection site (including company name, full address, on-site contact person's name, phone number), the estimated inspection date, and give a detailed description of the commodity in the "Remark" area of the application page. CCIC North America explain they will thereafter need 5 working days to process PSI applications and arrange an inspection date.

China sets rules for third-party pre-shipment inspection agencies

With its announcement No. 48 of 2018, the Chinese General Administration of Customs provided the Implementation Rules on the Supervision and Administration of Pre- shipping Inspection of Imported Solid Waste Used as Raw Materials, which take effect as of June 1, 2018. The announcement is pertinent to third part pre-shipment inspection agencies. (…) Read more

Conventions

Wrap-up of Barcelona Convention

Record attendance at 70th anniversary edition
Photos / video footage
Highlights from all plenary sessions

We had over 1100 participants and guests from 62 countries, representing 526 companies, and 26 exhibitors who showcased their latest technical capabilities and product developments of the recycling industry - making this edition one of our most successful BIR Conventions in recent years.

We would like to take this opportunity to share with you some amazing videos and photos from this great celebration: the opening video, the post-event video and a selection of photos from the event:

40 speakers took the floor and shared their expertise with attendees in the commodity plenary sessions, providing a wealth of information on markets, international trade and legislation.

Hereafter a short summary of each commodity session:

Paper Division
A trend towards the “unilateral imposition of regulations” was bemoaned by BIR World President Ranjit Singh Baxi of J&H Sales International during the world recycling organisation’s latest Paper Division meeting (...) Read more

Non-Ferrous Metals Division
2018 was proving to be “a very challenging year” for the scrap industry, according to BIR Non-Ferrous Metals Division President David Chiao of the Uni-All Group in his opening remarks (...) Read more

Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee
The US stainless steel market has witnessed “very dramatic changes” in 2018 owing to tariffs on imported products and the ownership restrictions involving Norilsk Nickel (...) Read more

E-Scrap Committee
Faced with China’s import ban on plastics scrap, processing operations have been moving to South East Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam (...) Read more

Tyres & Rubber Committee
Even though around 100 separate studies have declared as safe the use of crumb rubber in playgrounds and sports pitches, this issue “will not go away” until “a definitive statement is made” (...) Read more

Ferrous Division
The Chinese government’s decision to suspend the issuing of inspection certificates for the month up to June 4 will cost US exporters an estimated US$ 400 million as well as a further US$ 100 million associated with market value (...) Read more

Shredder Committee
It is estimated that, by the end of 2018, the number of shredders in China will have soared to around 200 from only 70 last year (...) Read more

World Council of Recycling Associations
“I couldn’t believe how far we managed to have outreach.” With these words, the world recycling federation’s President Ranjit Singh Baxi celebrated the “phenomenal success” of the first-ever, BIR-inspired Global Recycling Day (...) Read more

Annual General Assembly & Keynote Session
Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018, the BIR has “accomplished a great journey during the last 70 years, growing from a handful of visionary recyclers to a global organisation with members in 70 countries across the globe” (...) Read more

International Trade Council
“I have been in the business for 50 years and have never seen circumstances facing the international recycling industry that compare to the issues and problems we face at the moment,” declared Michael Lion of China-based Everwell Resources Ltd (...) Read more

Plastics Committee
China’s “unprecedented” move to stop plastics scrap imports had “surprised the whole world”, according to Dr Steve Wong of Fukutomi Co. Ltd and the China Scrap Plastics Association (...) Read more

Textiles Division
Reuse accounts for 60% of collected volumes of textiles and represents the industry’s “strength”. It is therefore essential that the hierarchy of material treatment is respected - with reuse firmly at the top (...) Read more

International Environment Council
Environmental legislation is now regularly discussed in every division and committee within BIR, thereby fully validating the decision of the world recycling association to form the International Environment Council (IEC) approaching two decades ago (...) Read more

Save the date! 2018 World Recycling Convention (Round-Table Sessions) London, United Kingdom, (5) 6-7 October

Public Relations / Communications

Publications

At our recent World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Barcelona, BIR has published a number of very interesting publications that were distributed to all attending delegates. I have great pleasure in giving you herewith access to the electronic files. In the coming days, one hard copy of each document will be sent to your company’s first contact, and further copies can be obtained upon request:

Global Recycling Day

Video: The story behind Global Recycling Day

A video on the story behind Global Recycling Day was presented during the last BIR Convention in Barcelona by Sophy Norris of Flagship Consulting, the communications agency that helped turn March 18 this year into the first-ever global celebration of recycling and of the achievements of the recycling industry.

Levels of engagement in the inaugural, BIR-inspired Global Recycling Day far exceeded expectations, laying firm foundations for growing the event in the years to come. In her review of the event during the meeting of the World Council of Recycling Associations, she proclaimed: “A movement has been sparked.” (…) Read more

BIR and UNIDO sign joint declaration

On 12 June 2018, the Bureau of International Recycling and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) signed a Joint Declaration with a view to facilitating a closer cooperation between the two organisations. This was the direct result of UNIDO’s official support of the first-ever Global Recycling Day organised by BIR on 18 March 2018.

This was the direct result of UNIDO’s official support of the first-ever Global Recycling Day organised by BIR on 18 March 2018. At the time, UNIDO had published a statement on their website endorsing GRD and encouraging people to sign BIR’s petition.

The Joint Declaration, which was signed by BIR President Ranjit Baxi and UNIDO Director General LI Yong, outlines the intention of both organisations to “promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development by supporting sustainable recycling practices and industries”. (…) Read more