ISRI to emphasize Chinese ‘regulatory coherence’ in 2018

The Washington-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has released its 2018 Advocacy Agenda, which highlights its priorities at the local, state, federal and international levels related to taxes and the economy, international trade, energy and the environment; transportation and infrastructure development; workplace safety initiatives; and regulatory policies.

The association indicates it is “fresh off major victories included in the tax reform law and through the resumption of the U.S. Mint’s Mutilated Coin Program.

Its 2018 document, which can be viewed here, identifies several priorities for the calendar year.

On the international trade front, “regulatory coherence in China” is listed as the top priority. ISRI states “the Chinese government is pursuing changes to its import policy that is significantly disrupting” trade in recyclables that can amount to $5.2 billion annually.

The association states it “fully supports” China’s efforts to protect its environment, but sees some of the moves as “an effort by the Chinese Government to protect its own nascent recycling industry “

In the “Taxes & The Economy” section of its agenda, ISRI lists as its top priority the “protection of the Depreciation Allowance for Recycling Equipment” at the federal level. “ISRI will continue to work on this issue on Capitol Hill to protect the 100 percent depreciation in the House and Senate tax reform bills and to ensure that no harm comes to the permanent Section 179 recycling industry 50 percent accelerated depreciation allowance,” states the organization.

“As the voice of the recycling industry, ISRI strongly advocates for the industry’s top priorities in front of policymakers and regulators at every level of government,” says Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “ISRI’s advocacy efforts recently resulted in significant triumphs such as 100 percent expensing of the purchase of recycling equipment, retaining the Interest Charge Domestic Sales Corporation export tax incentive, and the resumption of the U.S. Mint’s coin mutilation program. These accomplishments equate to millions of dollars in profits for ISRI members.”

“Over the course of the last several months, China’s ban on certain scrap imports and overall foreign trade policy have been the focal point of ISRI’s advocacy efforts and will continue to play a major role in 2018,” continues Wiener.