BIR Wraps Up Its Report for Year

In the final edition of its BIR World Mirror for this year, the Bureau of International Recycling looks back on the fairly successful year for the nonferrous scrap recycling industry.

Marc Natan, president of BIR’s Nonferrous division, noted several key issues that cropped up the year, including:

·Stocks reaching historic lows at the official warehouses of the LME, Comex and Shanghai Stock Exchange

·An increase in the international economic growth, especially in Japan, China and India

·The weakening U.S. dollar, which boosted world demand and raw material prices

·And confirmation that China and India would be increasing their commitment to recycling.

While the above generated positive news for the scrap recycling industries, several issues are areas of concern, Natan points out in his end of year address. Among them is China’s call for a licensing system via AQSIQ; India clamping down on imports of nonferrous metals due to explosions at some smelters; and smelters, foundries and other consumers that have been complaining that more raw material is headed to China, leaving less for the domestic consumers.

This month’s Mirror provides analysis of nonferrous markets from BIR members in India, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim, North America, South Africa, Russia, Germany, Nordic Countries, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Members of BIR can access the full report by going to the association’s site at bir.org.