BIR CHairman Susie Burrage: 'BIR's proactive role is crucial'
BIR WANTS TO MAKE ITS MESSAGE HEARD MORE POWERFULLY
Susie Burrage has been chair of BIR, the Bureau of International Recycling, since May last year. She wants to build on the new course of the global federation to bring the importance and added value of recycling more clearly to the attention of politicians and industry. 'We are going to become more involved in policymaking.'
Proactive, that is how Burrage summarizes BIR's new role in one word. Since May last year, she has been chairman of the global federation of recycling companies and trade organizations from around seventy countries. Her first actions were the expansion of the office in Brussels, to strengthen the lobby towards European policymakers, and the launch of a series of position papers that address pressing issues.
INTERVENE MORE HEAVILY IN POLICYMAKING
The first position paper on extended producer responsibility was published in November . On the way are position papers on trade barriers and chemical recycling. Burrage: “In the past we have been reactive rather than proactive. Now we are going to become more involved in policy making. We need to make our message heard much more forcefully. Not only within our own supporters, but also beyond. A proactive role for BIR is crucial to further the circular economy.”
LOBBY FOR DESIGN FOR RECYCLING
What is essential, says Burrage, is that a much stricter policy on design for recycling is pursued. “I see many manufacturers who do not think about whether their product is recyclable during the design phase. You can stimulate this with legislation. Although a start has been made on this, producers are putting up a strong lobby. The regulations are not yet circular enough. We will have to lobby hard to achieve more.”
'Recycling protects the environment, prevents pollution and saves natural resources, energy consumption and CO 2 emissions.'
PRIMARY MATERIALS SCARCER
The energy transition requires many raw materials for batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. However, primary materials are increasingly difficult to extract and are becoming increasingly scarce. “It is therefore inevitable that we will extract more raw materials from discarded products. Increasing numbers of lithium batteries are being released from telephones and soon electric cars. Some of it is not suitable for reuse. There is a huge opportunity for our sector to recycle raw materials.”
WORK RECYCLING COMPANIES MORE IMPORTANT
The advanced technology that recycling companies have in-house makes recycling possible, Burrage emphasizes. “Enormous progress has been made in the last fifteen years. Take the sorting machines with optical lasers for plastic waste. We offer the tools to recover raw materials.” At the same time, recycling companies will receive more appreciation, Burrage predicts, because their work will only become more important. “That is exactly what we as a sector must emphasize. We do not collect waste, but create new raw materials. Just as the car manufacturer talks about the cars it builds, we must emphasize the valuable raw materials we supply.”
'We must emphasize the valuable raw materials we supply.'
PREVENTING TRADE BARRIERS
The primary aim of BIR's establishment some 75 years ago was to remove the many trade barriers to the recycling sector. In 2024, new trade barriers are in the making. “It seems like we are back to square one. Unfortunately, it remains necessary to protect the free trade in recyclate. We will continue to do this with passion. The industry worldwide depends on a free flow of recycled materials. The demand continues unabated. Keeping supply and demand in balance is the core of our work.”
TIGHTENING EXPORT REGULATIONS
As an example of new obstacles, Burrage cites the tightening of export regulations for waste outside the European Union . The tightening affects the export of scrap. Every year, approximately twenty million tons of scrap are brought from Europe as a secondary raw material to countries outside the European Union. This results in a significant CO 2 reduction worldwide compared to steel production based on iron ore. “An export ban seems a logical step for the circular economy, but the production capacity in Europe to process scrap itself is limited,” says Burrage. She advocates a raw materials policy that supports the construction and expansion of production facilities for circular steel. “That would encourage the industry to use more recycled steel in its products.”
'The regulations are not yet circular enough.'
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COUNTRIES
The still large differences between countries should not be forgotten. Northwestern Europe is committed to recycling and waste incineration with energy generation, while in Southern and Eastern Europe a lot of waste is still dumped. Millions of tons of municipal waste are still dumped into the environment worldwide. “It is important to increase the level of recycling everywhere. I just got back from India and was surprised to see how recycling is embraced there. The tide has turned and major investments are being made in recycling, also to reduce the large mountain of landfill waste.”
EMPHASIZING THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLING
It is not a fast fix, says Burrage, but it is now starting to happen. “It goes region by region, Africa is also moving. That is why we must continue to emphasize the benefits of recycling. Recycling is the solution to the climate issue. Countries that want to reduce their carbon footprint realize that recovering raw materials contributes to this and that they must stop landfilling. Recycling protects the environment, prevents pollution and you save on natural raw materials, energy consumption and CO 2 emissions.”
'International trade is under considerable pressure. But we are a resilient sector and always remain optimistic.'