The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has released a study that highlights the role the scrap industry plays in the U.S. export market. The study, prepared by the Brooklyn, New York-based economic research and consulting firm John Dunham and Associates, claims the scrap recycling industry is responsible for creating more than 125,000 U.S. jobs through its exports, which account for more than 26 percent of the scrap industry’s economic activity.

“Exporting to more than 160 countries, scrap recyclers play a critical role in helping the U.S. balance of trade,” says Robin Wiener, president of ISRI.

“This past year brought many challenges to the industry, including falling commodity prices and the slow down at the West Coast ports," she adds. "However, the recycling industry overcame these obstacles and showed that it is a proven economic driver, creating high-paying jobs and generating billions of dollars in federal, state, and local tax revenues.”

The study finds that nearly 28 percent of the scrap materials processed in the United States are exported. In 2015, in addition to the 39,022 jobs supported by the export activities associated with the processing and brokerage operations of scrap recyclers in the United States, an additional 46,023 jobs are provided by supplier operations and through the indirect effects of scrap recycling exports.

All of this activity generates $28.34 billion in economic benefits in the United States and contributes $1.31 billion in tax revenues for the federal government and $1.65 billion in state and local revenues, according to the report.

The data were included as part of a study conducted to determine the size and scope of the scrap industry in the United States and to document its significant contribution to the economy in terms of employment, tax generation and overall economic benefit. (See www.RecyclingToday.com/isri-2014-scrap-recycling-industry-economics.aspx.) 

“While the scrap recycling industry has shown to be a major player in the U.S. export market, it also continues to produce enough supply for domestic manufacturers now and far into the future,” concludes Wiener. “As the first link in the manufacturing supply chain, recyclers are a positive solution to strengthening all aspects of the American economy.”

India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has released new rules involving the preshipment inspection and certification of scrap metal entering the country.

Public Notice No. 12/2015-20 revises rules for the preshipment Inspection Agencies (PSIA) and for issuing Preshipment Inspection Certificates (PSIC).

The adjustments follow concerns expressed by a number of recycling-related organizations, including the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the Metal Recycling Association of India (MRAI).

In April 2015 the DGFT announced it was revising its preshipment inspection and certification requirements for imported metallic scrap, but the effective date of that revision was subsequently postponed.

The May 18, 2015, public notice gives the new rules for Preshipment Inspection Agencies (PSIA) to apply for recognition by an Inter-Ministerial Committee, a status that will need to be renewed every three years. The agencies will need to reapply to the DGFT by June 7, 2015.

The notice also includes details of the preshipment inspection certificate, including what will be authenticated with PSIA’s numbered hologram. The prescribed certificate has to be provided to DGFT with photographs or a video clip of the PSIA inspector at the place of inspection, of the testing instrument(s), of the stuffing of each container including the container number and of its sealing. Digital signatures also are being proposed.

A PSIA also can carry out inspections in countries where it does not have a full-time equipped branch office but will have to inform DGFT by email beforehand.

The notice includes in its Appendix-2H the format of the preshipment inspection certificate as issued in paragraph 2.54 of handbook of procedures for importing shredded, un-shredded, compressed and loose forms of metallic waste and scrap.

At the BIR International Trade Council meeting held May 19, 2015, as part of the BIR’s World Recycling Convention in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, delegates discussed the notice and recognized that most large shredders have the capability to affirm the quality and safety of their own shredded scrap so they could either be exempted from preshipment inspection certification or recognized at some point in the future for self-inspection.

The revised notice will take effect July 1, 2015. Current preshipment inspection certificates can be used until June 30, 2015.

Scandinavian Business Seating of Oslo, Norway, has been named the winner of the European Best Recycled Plastic Product 2015 awards, for its HÅG Capisco office chair.

The competition was part of the Identiplast Congress held April 29 in Rome, and was backed by the Brussels-based European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations (EPRO) and supporting organisations.

The second-place award went to Germany’s PAV Recyclate GmbH & Co KG for its Railway Plastic Tie.

Also recognised was the Eco Potagator, an ecological growing pot made from postconsumer packaging, manufactured by U.K.-based ashortwalk Ltd.

Atle Thiis-Messel of Scandinavian Business Seating states, “The HÅG Capisco chair is our bestseller with sales of 46,000 chairs per year. It is made of 50 percent recycled materials and the plastic parts are manufactured from 100 percent recycled PP (polypropylene). It has also been designed to be dismantled easily making it easy to separate the different parts and materials for repair or recycling.”

EPRO Co-chairman Francis Huysman explains, “Plastic packaging design, improved collection schemes, advances in sorting technology together with a greater range of reprocessing opportunities and applications mean that the need to send many plastics to landfill is gradually decreasing. EPRO believes that one of the most important ways of achieving increased recycling is to raise the awareness of the products made from recycled plastics packaging, and by doing so, promoting the use of recyclates and the cycle of plastics. The HÅG Capisco chair is—besides the fact that it is made out of recycled materials—a good example of a product in a circular economy model.”

Ashortwalk, a member of the U.K.-based organization RECOUP, produced the third-place entry, the Eco-Potagator. The design incorporates both a propagator to support seedlings in the early stages of growth and transforms into a plant pot when it outgrows the propagator. The pots are designed to be reusable and long-lasting therefore reducing waste. The product is made from 100 percent yogurt containers and recycled CD cases.

All 22 entries, including 12 from the U.K., have shown a variety of viable applications for recycled plastics. RECOUP CEO Stuart Foster says, “Since 2009, the competition has seen nearly 180 entries from 25 countries and witnessed an increased range of applications for recycled plastic. Increasing demand for recycled materials is critical to the success of plastic recycling, and by supporting these awards it is hoped that the potential is further demonstrated to all plastic product manufacturers. We are also really pleased to see a strong showing from U.K. companies for the second year running, and congratulations to ashortwalk for their fantastic Ecopotagator product.”

RECOUP is sponsoring the U.K. Best Recycled Plastic Product Award at the Plastics Industry Awards 2015, which is currently open for entries. The winner will be presented with the award at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Friday 9th October. Comedian, actor and writer Alan Davies will present the awards.

More information about the competition, including entry details, is available at www.plasticsawards.com. Deadline for entries is May 29.