“We are more visible and better connected than ever before, with a strengthened secretariat and a dynamic professional advocacy team,” she enthused. “BIR is now totally engaged in key international arenas — from the United Nations to the OECD and the European Union — ensuring our industry’s voice is heard at the highest level.”
Ms Burrage, who is Managing Director of UK-based Recycled Products Ltd, continued: “Every conversation we have builds support. We are an integral part of the manufacturing supply chain. We are essential. Without recycled materials there is no sustainable future.”
BIR’s President had earlier noted that the Convention’s Feria Valencia venue was not only the largest ever used by the world association but had also attracted a record attendance. By the time the event opened on the morning of May 26, the current number of registered participants had reached an “amazing” 1915, drawn from well over 800 companies and more than 60 countries.
In addition to this all-time attendance high, Convention Committee Chairman Brian Henesy of Rocky Mountain Recycling in the USA confirmed that the event in Valencia also boasted BIR’s largest-ever exhibition hall, with more than 50 exhibitors taking space.
Membership numbers are equally eye-catching: BIR’s President confirmed the organisation now had “more than ever before”, with over 330 new recruits within the past 24 months alone. With each BIR member bringing “a wealth of knowledge and experience”, it was by combining all of that individual expertise through collaboration that “we can develop practical solutions to address the pressing issues we face”, she explained.
“We are not just representatives of our respective nations, we are ambassadors of a global movement; our responsibilities extend beyond borders as we strive to maintain and enhance the global circular economy,” insisted Ms Burrage. And she urged all members: “Let us continue to champion the cause of recycling and sustainability with passion and determination.”
As inferred in Ms Burrage’s opening address, BIR has recently expanded the communications team at its headquarters in Brussels as part of its concerted bid to enhance and diversify its work in this area. Communications Committee Chairman Ibrahim Aboura of Aboura Metals in the UAE told delegates that “communication is at the heart of our mission”, most visibly through its glossy members’ magazine The Recyclist and its cross-commodity series of long-established Mirror publications.
Indeed, the importance attached to communications was highlighted by the choice of Michael Maslansky as the Convention’s keynote speaker. An expert in language strategy, he was centrally involved in the recent rebranding of the Recycled Materials Association (formerly ISRI) in the USA. His presentation in Valencia — headlined “Recycling reimagined: the power of words in shaping industry perception” — acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry in winning support from legislators and the general public.
It was vital, explained Mr Maslansky, to build what he described as “the language of trust”, adding: “Just doing the right things is often not enough. When an industry focuses on things that matter to their audience, when they describe them in ways that are easier to relate, people will want to be connected to that industry and to support it.”
Mr Maslansky underlined the need for particular care around words that had the power to alienate an audience, taking “scrap” as his example. “The lay person can’t distinguish trash from scrap,” he said. “Even if they could, they certainly would not put a value on it the way that we put a value on it. We are not giving people a reason to come to our defence.”
The keynote speaker provided an example of how a sentence from the industry’s familiar lexicon could be modified for a more positive effect. As an alternative to “we reduce the need for virgin materials by processing non-ferrous scrap to create commodity-grade feedstock”, he offered “we create high-quality recycled materials like aluminium and copper, reducing the need for new mining”. The latter, he contended, was significantly more relatable to a layman.
According to Mr Maslansky, it was important for the recycling industry to emphasise the beneficial, everyday outcomes for its materials – such as their use in bridges, buildings and vehicles – rather than dwelling on inputs. The industry needed to deliver “simple” and “easy-to-like” messages highlighting how its work was “essential” to day-to-day living, the guest speaker concluded.
Also during the opening session, it was confirmed by Mr Henesy that BIR’s next Convention would be held in Thailand’s capital city Bangkok on October 26-28 this year.
