The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has announced that its Chief Economist and Director of Commodities Joe Pickard was selected to serve on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Building Materials, Construction and Nonferrous Metals (ITAC-9). He will represent the U.S. scrap recycling industry.
The Industry Trade Advisory Committees are joint partnerships between the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Commerce. They work by bringing together business leaders to develop U.S. trade policy regarding their respective industries.
“It’s an honor to represent ISRI on ITAC-9, and I’ll be delighted to serve as a liaison between the scrap industry, the Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on nonferrous-related trade issues,” Pickard says. “Promoting the free trade of all scrap commodities, including nonferrous scrap, is critical to our industry, and I’m very much looking forward to helping ISRI members convey their trade-related issues and concerns to these key government officials."
Of the $21 billion of scrap commodities exported from the United States last year, nonferrous metals, including copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, and nickel scrap, together accounted for $6.7 billion of export sales. Pickard’s new role in keeping the relevant U.S. government agencies informed of current and potential barriers to the free and fair trade of nonferrous scrap not only benefits ISRI members by helping to maintain open markets and promote U.S. exports but is also consistent with ISRI’s longstanding commitment to free trade, the association says.
In addition to Pickard’s appointment to the ITAC-9, ISRI President Robin Wiener serves on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Steel (ITAC-12).