Senior people from The Recycling Association recently attended the ISRI Convention in the United States to strengthen international cooperation in the interests of its members.
The Recycling Association president Craig Curtis, chief executive Simon Ellin and The Recycling Association trading arm IWPP commercial director Chris Burton were invited as special guests to the US Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) annual convention.
In 2019, The Recycling Association and ISRI worked together to lobby the Indonesian Government to continue to allow imports of recovered fibre into the country and also set realistic quality standards for these imports.
Since then, the two trade associations have continued to build on these foundations to work together to keep international markets open and share market intelligence.
Around 5,000 delegates attended ISRI2022 in Las Vegas from 53 countries.
ISRI president Robin Wiener (pictured with Simon Ellin) said: “It was a wonderful event – and so much fun to be together after three long years without an ISRI Convention.
“We hosted industry leaders from around the world, recognised members for safety leadership and awarded ISRI’s coveted Design for Recycling, Youth Poster and Video Contest, and Lifetime Achievement awards, and more, while also providing top drawer networking and educational opportunities from leading speakers.”
The Recycling Association chief executive Simon Ellin said: “Over the last few years, I have worked hard to build international relationships with organisations such as ISRI in the United States and EuRIC in Europe.
“By working together across the world, we have been able to represent the interests of the recycling industry, and our Members in particular, to ensure the ongoing success of international markets. With some organisations looking to close access to these markets, working together with international partners gives us greater strength to counter their false claims.
“Collaboration with these organisations also gives us greater power to lobby national governments and supra-national organisations in the interests of the global market and the circular economy.
“When we received the invitation from Robin Wiener and ISRI to attend the 2022 Convention as their guests, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to enhance our relationship with an organisation that represents 1,100 members in the world’s most powerful market.
“Craig, Chris and myself networked with colleagues from across the world, attended fascinating seminars and conference sessions, while also learning about the latest policy and technological developments. It also gave us greater understanding of the US market and how that might affect the UK and Europe in coming years.
“Having the opportunity to meet with Robin and other ISRI senior staff enabled us to have deeper in-depth conversations in person, that will aid our ongoing relationship and market understanding in future.
“I want to take the opportunity to thank Robin and ISRI for the invitation to attend this prestigious event as their guests, and I hope The Recycling Association can return the favour here in the UK in future and show equivalent generosity to our American colleagues.”
