C H I N A By Adam Minter
24 December 2011
The delegate list at China’s latest Secondary Metals International
Forum, held in Guangzhou, resembled a ‘Who’s Who’ of the global
recycling industry, with representatives from the BIR world recycling
body and the US Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries joining some
of China’s most influential figures in this sphere. Recycling International
went along to hear what they had to say about, in particular, latest
industry, policy and regulatory developments in China itself.
On the first night of the 11th Secondary Metals International Forum, held early last
month at the Dongfang Hotel in Guangzhou, a
buffet dinner was held in an outdoor courtyard.
At one end of the lush space was Wang Jiwei,
Secretary General of the China Non-ferrous
Metals Industry Association’s Recycling Metal
Branch (CMRA), the organiser of the confer-
ence. As laser projections of the CMRA’s logo
moved slowly across the courtyard walls and the
1200 delegates, Mr Wang glanced at the sky and
joked: ‘It was supposed to rain tonight. But due
to our industry’s positive contribution to soci-
ety, God has ensured that it won’t.’
The unprecedented rate of growth in the Chi-
nese recycling industry since 2008 might, in fact,
lead a casual observer to believe that it’s been
truly blessed. In the last year alone, China has
maintained its role as the world’s leading non-
ferrous scrap importer by far while recycling has
enjoyed a promotion to ‘strategic’ importance
CMRA’s 11th Secondary Metals International Forum in China
Top brass
crown another
top event
From left to right: Wang Jiwei (CMRA), Scott Horne (ISRI),
Robin Wiener (ISRI), Francis Veys (BIR), Chen Quanxun
(CNIA), Ren Xudong (China Aluminum Corp.), Pan Wenjiu
(CNIA) and Gao Hui (AQSIQ).
p24_CMRA.indd 24 02-12-11 08:37
