BIR is in the process of forming its first dedicated working group focused on EEEVB (electrics, electronics, and EV batteries). This message is a formal call for volunteers to join this important working group.
Purpose of the Working Group
This Working Group will bring together technical experts from BIR member associations and companies to provide strategic and technical input on specific issues and key challenges facing the sector.
The immediate focus will be on the implementation of the Basel Convention e-waste amendments, which came into effect in January 2025. Since then, our industry has encountered increasing difficulties in the shipment of certain materials – particularly insulated copper wires, shredded and unshredded electric motors, and zorba – as a result of shifting classifications under the new “e-waste” rules. There is now an urgent need for clear and practical guidance on which recycled electric and electronic materials are now considered subject to trade control, and which remain exempt and may continue to be traded freely.
BIR is actively contributing to the Basel Convention working group tasked with developing technical guidelines on "e-waste". This group will soon begin work on a guidance document intended to clarify the distinction between materials falling under the new classification and those that do not. In preparation for this important work, input from technically qualified BIR members is essential to shape BIR’s contribution to this process.
