The board of directors of the Washington-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has passed a transportation policy designed “to recognize and address the challenges of transporting scrap materials to the scrap yards and to the customer in a timely and cost-efficient way.”
States the organization, “Unfortunately, the industry and others are experiencing severe truck shortages, rail service problems and increased costs, and inconsistent service on ocean shipping as less ships are being utilized globally. Additionally, the industry has seen labor issues that have snarled the West Coast ports. This is the first time ISRI has developed such a comprehensive transportation policy.”
The new policy instructs ISRI staff and members to conduct the following activities:
- educate federal and state lawmakers (including governors, attorneys general) and regulators (e.g., Department of Transportation, Surface Transportation Board, Federal Maritime Commission) about the transportation problems facing the industry;
- reach out to various transportation associations (American Trucking Association, Association of American Railroads, American Waterways Association) and their member companies to make them aware of the difficulties the industry is experiencing and explore possible solutions;
- join forces with other industries to foster a new generation of truck drivers;
- monitor, identify or craft legislation, including participation in infrastructure spending legislation, transportation improvement and oversight proceedings, and work with transportation coalitions to craft realistic solutions;
- monitor the developments surrounding Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) for trucks, identifying possible solutions without jeopardizing truck safety;
- urge more private investment in railcars to carry scrap, including gondolas and boxcars;
- monitor the deployment of Positive Track Control (PTC) systems to prevent train accidents that disrupt rail lines;
- monitor labor negotiations between port workers and port operators to prevent dockworker strikes or worker slowdowns;
- work with waterways and ocean shipping associations and coalitions toward increased capacity and infrastructure improvements; and
- assist industry efforts to minimize transportation costs, and increase efficiency, e.g. increasing roadway weight limits and lobbying for competitive railroad switching.
ISRI says it represents more than 1,300 companies in 21 chapters in the United States and more than 40 countries. Its member companies process, broker and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics and textiles. The recycling industry generates nearly $117 billion annually in U.S. economic activity, according to ISRI.