The first-ever Global Recycling Day was celebrated yesterday, 18 March 2018, with organiser BIR saying there were events on a “truly worldwide level”.
BIR – the Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling – organised the event which has been championed by its British president Ranjit S. Baxi since he was elected to the post in 2015. The aim is to spread the message of the need for recycling and that recyclables are the “Seventh Resource”.
Carnaby Street with textiles bales was the venue for promotion of Global Recycling Day; pictured (right) BIR president Ranjit Baxi with one of the promotional team
Mr Baxi attended the London venue for the UK’s promotional and petition-signing activity which was held in Carnaby Street with the support of Westminster city council. Also present was the UK’s Textile Recycling Association and the day has been endorsed by recycling minister Therese Coffey.
‘Delighted’
“I am delighted with the interest today and the fact that there are events happening around the world,” Mr Baxi told letsrecycle.com. “I am very pleased with the support of our sponsors and the media. There are events in Australia in Sydney, five cities in India, Dubai, Mongolia, Brussels, Paris, Germany, Washington and elsewhere.”
And, Mr Baxi, who specialises in paper recycling in the UK, said that he was sure that Global Recycling Day would develop with even more activities and awareness in 2019. He also called on the British government and others around the world to take action on the ‘huge issue’ of plastics in the ocean and Mr Baxi said he looked forward to seeing ‘positive proposals’ in the UK’s resources and waste strategy which is due out later this year.
Impact report
BIR issued a statement today (19 March) saying that it is “still in the process of compiling facts and figures and will provide a full impact report over the next days – but there is no doubt that year one of Global Recycling Day has definitely surpassed all expectations.”
And the Bureau praised its industry supporters for their support, including Sims Metal Management – founding sponsor; first marketing partner; Fjällräven; and national association supporters including the British Metals Recycling Asssociation and America’s ISRI.
Seventh Resource
Global Recycling Day aims to spread a message about the “Seventh Resource”. BIR says that there are six of the earth’s natural resources which are generally seen as the most important – water, air, oil, natural gas, coal and minerals – and that these resources are finite. It reasons, “Recycling is the Seventh Resource. It isn’t finite, it can be used again and again and again, sometimes indefinitely.
On a cold Sunday in London, (right) Alan Wheeler, director of the Textile Recycling Association helped to promote Global Recycling Day
And, BIR predicts that the annual ontribution of the recycling industry towards the glbal GDP is projected to exceed US$400 billion in the next 10 years.
But, the organisation reasons that the power of recyclables is “still not sufficiently recognised as a solution at a global level and the earth is bearing the consequences”. So, one of the Global Recycling Day messages is that “urgent action is neeed to unite behind a global approach to recycling with recyclables seen as the precious seventh resource.”
BIR said that some of the biggest brands and names on the planet have joined in – using #GlobalRecyclingDay to raise awareness of recycling, the circular economy and even create their own mini-campaigns. This has ensured our message has spread even further.
Brands supporting the day included Suez UK, Veolia, Dell, Nestle Waters, Danone and Tetrapak.
Related links
Global Recycling Day
The post BIR hails support for first Global Recycling Day appeared first on letsrecycle.com.
Source: letsrecycle.com General
