BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL RECYCLING
www.bir.org
International Dialogue on Environmentally Sound Management of
E-Waste
San Salvador May 7-8 , 2012
THE WORLD FEDERATION OF RECYCLING INDUSTRIES
• Almost 900 companies and national federations
• In 70 countries worldwide
WHO ARE BIR MEMBERS ?
• National trade federations from the recycling sector• Commercial companies from the recycling sector i.e.
collectors, processors, merchants and traders consumers machine and equipment manufacturers
• Other bodies and individuals with an interest in international recycling
BIR – THE GATEWAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL RECYCLING BUSINESS!
BIR membership spread 2011
BIR HISTORY AND SCOPE
• Created in 1948• International non-profit making trade association• Main objectives:
Promotion of materials’ recycling and recyclability Facilitation of free and fair trade in recyclables and
secondary raw materials Promote protection of the environment Source information for members and industry worldwide Representation of the recycling sector at world level Facilitate information to / from decision-and-opinion-
makers
A DIVERSIFIED COMMODITY STRUCTURE
4 Commodity Divisions:
• Ferrous metals• Non-ferrous metals• Paper• Textiles
A DIVERSIFIED COMMODITY STRUCTURE3 Commodity Committees:
• Stainless steel & special alloys• Plastics• Tyres
Workshops:• Recycling Circuit Boards from Electrical & Electronic Equipment
BIR ROME CONVENTIONWORKSHOP 30 MAY 2012
Recycling Circuit Boards from Electrical & Electronic Equipment
• International trade rules helping or hindering recycling?
• Qualities of circuit boards for recycling?
• Quantities of circuit boards for recycling?
• Moving circuit boards entering the informal sector to ESM facilities
• Deriving more value from circuit board content … critical metals & economic instruments?
EPR & ESM
Business & Industry Advisory Committee to OECD • WGWMP – WGWPR –
WPRPW … EPR … ESM
WFD … WSR … Priority Waste Streams EPR
Technical input to listings
Technical input to TGDs
ESM
TBM
MPPI & PACE
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
• More than 1.6 million employees worldwide
• 800 million tonnes of commodities processed per year
• Turnover exceeding 200 billion US dollars
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
Ferrous Metals
Total world steel production: 1,3 billion tonnes
520 million tonnes produced from scrap metal
Stainless SteelAlmost 45% of world’s stainless steel production is made from scrap metals
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
Non-Ferrous Metals and Alloys
Percentage of scrap metals in total world production of:
Aluminium 25%
Copper 40%
Zinc 30%
Lead 35%
Nickel 20%
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
Paper
Total annual world production: almost 400 million tonnes50% from recovered paper and board
Textiles
90% of collected textiles are reused/recycled50% of collected textiles are used as second-hand clothing
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
• Secondary raw materials account for up to 50% of the world’s raw material needs
• Recycling iron and steel saves:
74% of energy
86% of air pollution associated with primary production
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
ENERGY SAVINGS THROUGH RECYCLING
Aluminium 95%Copper 85%
Lead 65%Zinc 60%
Paper 64%Plastics 80%
KEY FIGURES OF THE WORLD RECYCLING INDUSTRY
Recycling saves
over 500 million tonnes of CO2 emissions !
BIR OFFERS ITS MEMBERS
• Business membership directory referencing all major operators worldwide
• Business generating opportunities• International networking• Information on international trade and environmental
legislation• Professional expertise, arbitration service
BIR OFFERS ITS MEMBERS
Two international recycling conventions per year !
• interactive discussion forums on legal, technical and market issues
• attendance: 800 – 1,200 delegates• access to state-of-the-art recycling technology