Speakers at the recently concluded BIR meeting call for recyclers to stay on the same page in regards to defining what recyclables are.
In a presentation held during the Bureau of International Recycling fall roundtable, Olivier Francois, chairman of BIR’s International Environment Council, called for the recycling industry to stick together as it sought to achieve its goal of separating its material from waste legislation. Francois also is an executive with the Belgian company Galloometal.
Currently under discussion, criteria for establishing the “end of waste” will bring welcome harmonization and legal certainty for the entire EU recycling industry, while at the same time reducing its administrative burden, François explained. It is “very important”, therefore, for recyclers to support the final push towards defining the “end of waste” for the various recyclables, he said. “We really must keep this target in mind. We need to be strong and we need to be strong together.”
Further developments on end-of-waste criteria for iron scrap and aluminum scrap are anticipated before the end of this year, he added.
Also covered during the Environment meeting was a discussion on the work being done with the OECD in regards to Sustainable Materials Management. BIR’s Environmental & Technical Director Ross Bartley confirmed that the OECD is advancing with its work on Sustainable Materials Management, with case studies developed on aluminum, plastics, fibers, and other materials. In looking at a more integrated life-cycle approach, SMM is intended to ensure that material resources are managed sustainably and used efficiently throughout their life-cycle to help promote economic growth, environmental quality and sustainable development.
While SMM should be “good for recycling,” Bartley expressed concern at “elements of protectionism” contained within the related documentation.
Bartley also called for recyclers to participate in the Basel Convention’s Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment. Established in January 2009, this brings together personal computer manufacturers, refurbishers, recyclers, international organizations, academia, environmental groups and governments in a bid to improve the management of used and end-of-life computing equipment. Its project groups will cover: environmentally sound management criteria; refurbishment and repair; material recycling and recovery; and awareness-raising and training.
Two guest speakers also addressed attendees. Frans Bijlhouwer of the Dutch firm Quality Consultants, spoke of the importance of quality management systems such as ISO 9001. More suppliers, customers and government agencies are asking for certification of this kind; therefore, companies going down this route are improving their competitive position both in domestic and world markets, he explained. In addition, adoption of a quality management system serves to improve business performance and to boost confidence in a company. Furthermore, it could assist in the meeting of EU “end-of-waste” criteria.
The second speaker, Manuel Villena of LoadIt, a Dutch venture, discussed a move toward creating “paperless administration” of scrap shipments using information technology. Already approved in the Netherlands, the system has saved a sample Dutch company about 260 hours in a single month.