Global Recycling Day one step closer to UN recognition

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have stepped up their efforts to have Global Recycling Day recognised as an official United Nations day.

During a side event organised by BIR in the framework of the 11th meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention in Geneva, BIR and UNIDO emphasised the need to celebrate the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources.

Joint declaration

Following up on their joint declaration signed in June with a view to facilitating closer bilateral cooperation, both organisations called for concrete actions to ensure Global Recycling Day, launched by BIR in March 2018, gains official UN recognition.

‘We are delighted to be working with UNIDO in our efforts to have Global Recycling Day recognised as an official UN day,’ said BIR president Ranjit S. Baxi. ‘We are determined, in collaboration with UNIDO, to build on the momentum we have sparked since launching Global Recycling Day in March.’

A day of action

The inaugural event on 18 March 2018 was a day of action aimed to get support for recycling across the world from leaders, policy makers, businesses, communities and individuals.

Baxi noted that recycling provides important raw materials to support the growing demand of industry, generates employment for 3 million worldwide and is forecast to add over $US400 billion to global GDP by 2025.

In the coming weeks, BIR will be officially launching the Global Recycling Foundation as the parent organisation for Global Recycling Day.

Van Rompaey, Kummer

Speaking at the side event were also Frank Van Rompaey, Head of UNIDO’s Geneva office, and Katharina Kummer Peiry of Kummer EcoConsult and former Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention.