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trends & updates
53recyclinginternational.com | July/August | 2020
Fotobijschrift
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ierc 2021 – call fOr papers
While many recycling conferences have been cancelled or post-
poned because of the pandemic, the International Electronics
Recycling Congress will take place as planned. On 20-22 January,
the global e-scrap recycling sector will gather, as always, in
Salzburg, Austria. It will be a special event as IERC is celebrating its
20th anniversary.
‘The call for papers is now on,’ says Jeanette Duttlinger of event
organiser ICM. ‘Professionals in the broad field of electronics recy-
cling are invited to send in their presentation proposals. We are
interested in new business models and technical innovations. If you
want to share your ideas with an international audience of experts,
use the IERC 2021 platform.’
IERC 2021 will focus on the ‘circular economy of electronics’. The
main topics to be spotlighted: success stories in eco-design and
refurbishment; the impacts & opportunities of the European Green
Deal; and best practices from the global e-scrap recycling scene.
Other topics include smart technology (AI/robotics), safety stan-
dards and the Li-ion battery wave.
There will be a large exhibition area with more than 80 booths cre-
ating the perfect opportunity to learn, meet and network. In addi-
tion IERC 2021 will organise technology workshops and plant
tours.
The event will bring together more than 500 international profes-
sionals representing among others recycling companies and elec-
tronics manufacturers as well as authorities, technology and equip-
ment providers, research institutes, and those involved in logistics.
To register, please check: www.icm.ch
textile glut fear as restrictiOns ease
Charities in the UK are concerned about an avalanche of
unwanted clothing and other items when their High Street shops
re-open in June as householders seek to get rid of items that
have been stored for months.
Charity shops are major recipients for second-hand clothing but
they have been closed in the UK since March during the Covid-
19 lockdown. Many municipal recycling centres have also been
closed. This combination has caused great concern across the
textile recycling sector.
Robin Osterley, chief executive of the Charity Retail Association,
told the BBC that shops are expecting to be ‘full to bursting’.
The UK’s 11 000 charity shops raise almost £300m for good
causes each year.
In early May, Alan Wheeler, director of the Textile Recycling
Association (TRA), warned of ‘pent up demand and an influx of
used clothing/textile donations once charity shops and recycling
centres are re-opened’. Wheeler is worried that this issue, on
top of supply chain problems such as some countries restricting
imports of used clothing, will mean insufficient capacity in the
UK. One consequence would be more materials going to land-
fill.
To support these fears, analysis by a UK furniture manufacturer
has found that searches online for recycling centres has spiked
in recent weeks. Sliding door wardrobe company Spaceslide
found that in April, searches for ‘recycling centre’ increased 22%
year-on-year, up from 90 500 per month to 110 000. Searches
for ‘council tips’ were also up, rising 50% to 3 600 monthly
searches. In contrast, searches for ‘charity shop’ dropped by
87%, falling from 110 000 in April 2019 to 14 800 this April.
Spaceslide’s commercial manager Will Gough commented:
‘Hopefully, UK households can hang on to their useable items
for a short while longer to avoid creating non-essential waste.
Charities benefit hugely from selling the items they receive and
with money tighter than ever for many, holding off on your trip
to the recycling centre could have a significant impact.’
Siân Pelleschi, owner of decluttering company Sorted!, offered
this advice: ‘Firstly, look at repurposing an item in another way
within your home. If this isn’t possible, try giving away items to
passers-by. Make sure you label them as being free and keep
the items on your property and not in the street.’
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