BIR forms Global Recycling Foundation

Above: Ranjit Baxi announces the formation of the Global Recycling Foundation
during the BIR's fall conference in London Oct. 6.

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), Brussels, has launched the Global Recycling Foundation at its World Recycling Convention in London, inviting members to become “Friends of the Foundation” by making a donation. 

Current BIR President Ranjit Baxi is the founding president of the foundation, which will be run independently from the BIR to promote and support the global recycling industry in its mission to showcase recycling’s role in preserving our environment.

The formation of the foundation grew from the success of Global Recycling Day 2018, which took place March 18; next year’s Global Recycling Day will be the biggest activity the foundation supports.

Global Recycling Day seeks to celebrate the importance of recycling in preserving the planet’s primary resources and introduced the Seventh Resource, namely recycled materials. The first Global Recycling Day reached more than 10.5 million people on social media channels alone, the BIR says.

With plans underway for the second annual awareness day March 18, 2019, with the theme of “Recycling into the Future”), the creation of the Foundation is a crucial step in securing the future of the Global Recycling Day and other initiatives aiming at the promotion of a global and united approach to recycling, the BIR says.

The Global Recycling Foundation has nine primary goals that underpin its mission to ensure recycling remains central to the preservation of our planet’s resources and future:

1. continue to support and celebrate Global Recycling Day March annually;
2. promote the prioritization of the Seventh Resource;
3. foster the promotion of recycling across the world and support and share best practices and innovation;
4. protect biodiversity;
5. commit to, and promote, eco-responsibility and the circular economy;
6. encourage responsible, sustainable and inclusive environmental actions to the benefit of ecological developments;
7. support statistical, economic and social studies in the field of recycling;  
8. support research and innovation in the field of recycling; and
9. support educational programs, university and scientific research in the field of recycling

Baxi says, “The world needs to wake up to the fact that recycling is not optional but necessary. The recycling industry is at the epicenter of action on resource preservation. Without it, all our used and discarded fridges, plastic bottles, packing boxes, cars, cellphones, clothes and paper cups will contribute to the growing waste mountains, be incinerated or go to landfill—never to be used again.”

He continues, “The role of the foundation is to show the world that recycling is a collective endeavor, crucial for the future of the planet. No one can act in isolation, and it is imperative we engage the widest population possible, from BIR members to world leaders, businesses to individuals—no matter where they are located. The establishment of the Global Recycling Foundation will underpin this mission, and ensure a global approach, supporting joint initiatives and achieving goals to foster better recycling practices into the future.”

Tom Bird (current BIR treasurer) will be vice president of the Global Recycling Foundation, and David Chiao, BIR Executive Committee member, will be the first board member.

The foundation will use funds from donors and partners across the globe to foster promotional and educational campaigns to highlight the vital role of recycling in creating a sustainable future for the planet. Donations may be eligible for tax benefits, and donors will be able to build their involvement into their corporate and social responsibility (CSR) programs, BIR says.

“The launch of the Global Recycling Foundation is a vitally important step in raising the awareness and growing the amount of recycling across the world,” says BIR Director General Arnaud Brunet. “We at BIR have long been saying recycling is too important to be anything other than a global issue. For 70 years we have been working with the industry and world leaders to ensure recycling and recycled goods remain at the top of the ecology agenda.”

He continues, “The incredible success of the first Global Recycling Day this year showed just how ready the world is to hear our call to action, and the creation of the foundation will provide the framework to ensure the day continues to grow, and to fund further projects needed to deepen engagement across the planet.”