‘Take time for reflection,’ says Josephita Harry

Recycling International regularly spotlights individual scrap traders around the globe. Here we give the floor to Pan American Zinc’s Josephita Harry of the USA.

‘I was born in Kochi and raised in Chennai, both in South India. My first introduction to recycling was through a school project called Clean Up India when I was 13 years old. The project focused on waste management and recycling and led me to participate at the national level as a young child scientist.

‘I earned a degree in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from the University of Madras. After my education, I lived in Chicago and worked in IT. Although my passion for recycling began with that school project, it took more than two decades for me to formally enter the industry through an acquaintance.

‘My journey in the recycled materials industry began in Dubai in 2013, where I was involved in procuring recycled metals from Europe, Middle-East, United States and parts of Africa, primarily for consumers in the Indian subcontinent. I joined Pan American Zinc in 2016 and relocated to Miami, Florida to develop procurement and sales of North American non-ferrous metals.’

THE COMPANY

‘The roots of our business date back to the 1910s in France, beginning with the collection of old scrap. In the 1950s, the company expanded into zinc remelting and by the 1980s its primary focus had evolved into metals trading. Our French sister company, Metal Trading, was established in 1990 and specialised for many years in the trading of primary and secondary zinc ingots and zinc residues. Pan American Zinc was founded in 2014 to focus on trading opportunities across the United States and Latin America, primarily in aluminium, copper, lead and zinc scrap and residues.’

MY JOB

‘In my role as chief commercial officer, I lead global commercial operations for non-ferrous recycled metals. I oversee procurement of recycled materials across the United States and North America for export worldwide, import recycled materials into the US from other regions, and manage non-ferrous scrap sales across Latin America, the United States, Asia and Europe. I am responsible for end-to-end commercial strategy and execution, ensuring all activities are conducted in an environmentally safe, fully compliant and sustainable manner.’

THE MARKET

‘One of the biggest current market challenges is the increasing complexity of recycled material streams and the way they are interpreted across different regulatory and customs frameworks. As materials evolve, their classification can vary significantly from country to country, sometimes leading to misinterpretations from the original intent. While the Basel e-waste amendments that came into effect in January 2025 were intended specifically to address transboundary movement of electronic scrap, they have inadvertently impacted traditional non-ferrous recycling streams that were not the original focus of the regulations.

‘We trade in more than 60 countries and manage risk by avoiding dependence on any single country, product or region. While there’s no doubt that evolving trade restrictions add uncertainty to our business, global market access remains essential for all stakeholders across the recycled materials value chain to support a healthy economy and the planet we call home.’

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB

‘I genuinely love every aspect of my craft and my work. I value the opportunity to travel globally, engage with recyclers from diverse regions and learn firsthand how materials are processed, recovered and reintegrated into the supply chain. I enjoy the people interaction and the exchange of knowledge across cultures and markets.’

FREQUENT FLYER 

‘I try to set aside at least one month each year with no travel. This dedicated time allows me to step back, strategise and build momentum for the rest of the year. I have learned that rest and reflection are just as important as constant movement in sustaining long-term impact and effectiveness.’

BEST EVENT

‘ReMA and BIR conventions each represent core values that matter deeply to me and to our industry, and both are my top favourites for different reasons. ReMA is the heartbeat of the recycling industry, bringing together every vertical from operations, logistics, commercial, safety, policy and environment all under one roof with unmatched scale, top-class educational sessions and innovation. BIR’s twice-yearly conventions bring recyclers and consumers together from around the world, offering a unique opportunity to understand regional perspectives, build international relationships and engage directly in shaping responsible global material flows.’

FAVOURITE DESTINATION

‘Copenhagen and the Nordic countries are my new favourites. Visiting again for BIR after almost a decade since my last visit, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the Danish capital has evolved, with an even stronger emphasis on sustainability translating into happier communities and a higher quality of life. Sustainability there feels lived.’