Ahead of its 2022 World Recycling Convention & Exhibition, to be held in May in Barcelona, the Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has released its 2021 Annual Report.
BIR says the contents of the report were completed several weeks before the Ukraine invasion occurred, “and therefore does not reflect recent dramatic events and their impact around the world.” The year-in-review instead contains perspectives on 2021 from BIR President Tom Bird, Director General Arnaud Brunet and Treasurer Andy Wahl and leaders of BIR’s eight commodity divisions and committees.
“At the time of writing this annual report, we thought that the worst was over,” says Bird. “When compared to 2020, the COVID pandemic had had a reduced impact on the recycling industry in 2021 and, as a result, business had continued to improve. But now, the world is yet again facing another dramatic challenge, which affects many of our members directly and which shocks all of us to the core. All other problems and issues seem insignificant in comparison.”
Continues Bird, “Nevertheless, it is our duty to continue our mission on behalf of our members, and while we are preparing our next World Recycling Convention end of May, we keep fighting for a better recognition of the environmental, economic and social benefits of recycling.”
Beyond events in Ukraine, “There is the possibility that changes to shipment regulations – particularly in the EU – may restrict the flow of recyclables around the world,” says Bird. “We at BIR, and the recycling industry as a whole, must continue to hammer home the message that the free and fair trade of recyclables is absolutely essential to the creation of a global circular economy.”
Adds Bird, “Clearly our efforts are understood and appreciated by our membership. I am happy to report that BIR’s membership count remained above 700 at the end of last year, with representation in 67 countries around the world. And in these most challenging of times, BIR has even succeeded in attracting new members from different regions.”
The 2021 review is available electronically in PDF and animated versions on the BIR website hard copies (in English) will be mailed to all BIR members in May and will be available during at the World Recycling Convention in Barcelona May 23-25.
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