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Less than two weeks to go for BIR Bangkok 2025 – International Trade Council: Navigating trade barriers in a fragmented global market

Navigating trade barriers in a fragmented global market

In an increasingly protectionist global landscape, new trade measures, tariffs and regulatory restrictions are reshaping the way recyclers and traders operate across borders. From the US and Europe to Asia, the tightening of trade rules is creating deep uncertainty for businesses and challenging the principles of open and fair trade that drive global recycling markets.

The BIR International Trade Council (ITC), chaired by Emmanuel Katrakis (Galloo, FRA/BEL), will bring together leading voices from across regions to discuss the realities of doing business in this volatile trade environment and to explore strategies for maintaining global cooperation amid growing fragmentation.

Adam Shaffer, Vice President, International Trade and Global Affairs, ReMA (USA)

Adam Shaffer will present findings from ReMA’s recent study on the availability of recycled copper and aluminium in the United States, offering insight into how trade dynamics are shaping material access and industry competitiveness.

Adam oversees federal and international advocacy at ReMA and serves on several U.S. government advisory committees, including the Department of Commerce’s Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee. Before joining ReMA in early 2023, he led trade policy advocacy for U.S. steelmakers at the American Iron and Steel Institute.

 

George Adams, President & CEO, SA Recycling (USA)

George Adams will provide first-hand insights into how trade restrictions and shifting market dynamics are affecting U.S. recyclers from a business perspective, drawing on decades of experience at the helm of one of the largest shredding operations in the U.S.

A respected industry leader and former ReMA Chair, George built SA Recycling from a small family scrapyard into the largest metal recycling company in the U.S., with over 140 sites and 5 million tonnes processed annually. A practicing attorney, author and community advocate, he brings over four decades of leadership experience to the discussion.

 

Murat Bayram, Managing Director, EMR (GBR/DEU)

Representing the European perspective, Murat Bayram will examine how rising protectionism is reshaping metals recycling and trading in Europe, emphasising the need for cooperation over isolation in sustaining global markets.

With a background in environmental management from Helmut Schmidt University, Murat has built his career at EMR, one of the world’s leading metal recyclers. Known for his advocacy for sustainability and efficient recycling practices, he brings a strategic and solutions-oriented approach to the debate on global trade.

Join us in Bangkok on 28 October for a timely and forward-looking discussion on how the global recycling industry can navigate global trade disruptions, balance policy pressures and sustain cooperation across borders.

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