User:Karakas-design/Bureau of International Recycling

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) is the only global recycling industry association to represent more than 700 companies from the private sector and 40 national trade federations from 70 different countries. The organisation serves as a platform to promote business relations and recycling among industry and to liaise with policy makers. Its members are world leaders in the supply of raw materials and a key pillar for sustainable economic development.

Recycling: a key driver for tomorrow’s sustainable development
Recycled materials currently supply around 40% of the global raw material need and this is set to increase every year. The recycling industry has become an integral part of modern society not only due to its social and economic impact but also because it plays a vital role for the future of our planet. The use of recycled materials directly translates into fewer natural resources being used and considerably less energy being consumed when compared to production processes using virgin materials.

Mission
As part of its mission, BIR tackles the following important and fundamental issues:
 * Market: promote international trade in an environmentally sound manner in both recycled materials and recycling technology
 * Environment: aiming for lower energy consumption, reducing CO2 emissions and preserving the planet’s natural resources
 * Economy: help drive tomorrow’s sustainable management of resource

Industry sectors covered by BIR
BIR’s members focus on five key sectors of the recycling industry: Some companies are also involved in the recycling of
 * Ferrous metals
 * Non-Ferrous Metals and Stainless Steel/Special Alloys
 * Paper
 * Textiles
 * Plastics
 * Tyres

A brief history of BIR
Founded in 1948, the BIR (originally called the Bureau International de la Récupération) is the oldest international association in the recycling sector. Following the second-world war, when primary and secondary raw materials were extremely scarce, a handful of leading private recycling companies from the Benelux countries called for the creation of an international organisation to overcome trade barriers and to facilitate cross-border business, principally to supply steelmills, foundries and papermills. This initiative was therefore was started in Europe but would eventually expand its reach to the worldwide stage. The process started in March 1948 when leading recyclers met in Amsterdam. Following this first meeting, the presidents of the Belgian and Dutch scrap organisations invited Luxembourg, France and Great Britain to join BIR. Later, the same invitation would be extended to the Scandinavian countries.

BIR soon became acknowledged by national and international bodies, as well as by governments. Other countries applied for membership including Switzerland, the USA and Sweden. In 1953, during the BIR Convention in Paris, the Federal Republic of Germany also joined.

In 1971 BIR moved it’s headquarters from Paris to Brussels, the seat of the European Union, and this move brought with it some changes to the organisation - in particular, the formation of three independent European scrap trade associations (called today EFR, EUROMETREC and ERPA) which were created to look after the interests of their specific recycling sectors within the EU and to represent the recycling industry at the EU Commission.

On a world level, BIR continued to expand to other non-EU countries, and in particular into Eastern Europe, Russia and Asia, eventually changing name to become the Bureau of International Recycling. Subsequently, new communications programmes and tools were developed and direct membership from commercial enterprises was encouraged, particularly from countries where there were no national federations.

Over the last 25 years, BIR has taken on another dimension by attracting interest from large international institutions from the private and public sector with a key interest in environmental protection, energy saving and waste management - with the consequence that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the OECD, the EU and governments of all major nations now look to BIR for its assistance and expertise on recycling matters.

The recycling industry: a global employer
Approximately 1.6 million people worldwide are active in the recycling industry. Together, they handle more than 800 million tonnes of recyclables every year. With an annual turnover of more than $200 billion, similar to the GDP of countries such as Portugal, Colombia and Malaysia, the sector has already become a key driver for tomorrow’s sustainable development. About 10% of this amount is spent on new technologies, research and development that contribute to creating high-skilled jobs and making recycling more efficient and environmentally sound.

Recycling and reduction in CO2 emissions
BIR’s recent study on the environmental benefits of recycling clearly demonstrates the important contribution its members make to energy, water and CO2 savings. The figure of 500 million tonnes of reduced CO2 per year is a conservative estimate based on sound scientific analysis. Putting this figure into context, it is equivalent to almost 2% of global fossil fuel emissions and represents more than the CO2 emitted by aviation worldwide.