BIR, UNIDO work to advance Global Recycling Day

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) took a step in their efforts to have Global Recycling Day recognized as an official United Nations day, according to a BIR report on Sept. 5.

During a side event organized by BIR in the 11th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention (OEWG) in Geneva, the report says BIR and UNIDO stressed the need to celebrate the importance recycling plays in preserving valuable primary resources. Speaking at the side event were Frank Van Rompaey, head of UNIDO’s Geneva office, and Katharina Kummer Peiry, Kummer EcoConsult and former executive secretary of the Basel Convention.

Following up on their joint declaration, which was signed in June 2018 with the goal of working more closely together, both organizations called for actions to ensure Global Recycling Day, launched by BIR on March 18, gains official U.N. recognition. 

In the next few weeks, BIR also plans to officially launch the Global Recycling Foundation as the parent organization for Global Recycling Day.

“We are delighted to be working with UNIDO in our efforts to have Global Recycling Day recognized as an official U.N. day,” says BIR President Ranjit S. Baxi. “We are determined, in collaboration with UNIDO, to build on the momentum we’ve sparked since launching Global Recycling Day in March.”

The inaugural event on March 18 was a day of action aimed at garnering support for recycling across the world from leaders, policymakers, businesses, communities and individuals. Baxi says recycling provides important raw materials to support the growing demand of industry, generates employment for 3 million people worldwide and is forecast to add more than $400 billion to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025.