Recycling for the Future

Recycling today will have an impact tomorrow: On 18 March – Global Recycling Day – recognizing recycling as an essential industry stood at the center of this annual event. At the same time, a spotlight was shining on people, places, businesses and activities that have continued to support the recycling efforts during the pandemic, Ranjit Baxi, President of the Global Recycling Foundation, had emphasized some weeks before this international event. Ten indivi­duals and organizations were recognized as Global Recycling Heroes “who have continued to make significant impact towards recycling in the last 12 months and whose efforts will contribute towards a greener future of our world”.

In this context, Ranjit Baxi has three wishes: First, he wants everyone to follow the Recycling Heroes and “to go the extra mile to reduce, reuse and recycle more”. Secondly, he wants manufacturers “to move more rapidly to reduce use of bio and composite plastics, which are difficult to recycle due to their heterogeneity but increase the use of easy to recycle plastic resins or plastic recyclables in their manufacturing cycles”. And thirdly, on Global Recycling Day, he informed about an initiative to show what everyone can do in a global campaign of reforestation, which plays an important part in the carbon cycle.

Ranjit Baxi stands up for more recycling, given the increasing volumes of waste worldwide. He is assisted by Arnaud Brunet, Director General of Bureau of International Recycling (BIR): “Combating climate crisis is a joint global endeavor with all of us acting together to reduce waste and promote recycling by using the Seventh Resource*) helping to save millions of tons of CO2 emissions.”

Therefore, recycling is part of the solution. Among the main characteristics of a well-established industry belongs – aside from being relevant – also the degree of digitalization and automation. Both developments are increasingly included in the processes of the waste management and recycling sector. The use of appropriate technologies is not yet possible in all parts of the world, although there is a growing trend towards digitalization, automation and standardization – regarding not only recycling itself but also international trade. GLOBAL RECYCLING presents some examples for the latter from page 4 onwards. The manufacturers for machinery and plants – such as TOMRA (page 15) – are also active in this innovative field and provide smart technologies. How sophistica­ted software can support an increase in efficiency is described by PICVISA (page 19), AMCS Group (page 33) and Panizzolo Recycling Systems (page 44).

We hope you get a lot of new and useful information from reading this current magazine.

Yours, Brigitte Weber

*) The term “Seventh Resource” means the materials, which we recycle. Other primary resources are water, air, coal, oil, natural gas and minerals, according to “Recycling: The Seventh Resource Manifesto”, published by Global Recycling Foundation and BIR.