BIR in China: President Baxi visits Chinese associations CAMU, CMRA and CSPA

On 10th and 11th  April 2017, BIR President Ranjit Baxi,  together with David Chiao, President of the BIR Non-Ferrous Metals Division and Mr Ma Hongchang, BIR Special Advisor in China, paid an official visit to the secretariats of three important Chinese associations that are members of BIR: China Association of Metal Scrap Utilization (CAMU), China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch (CMRA) and China Scrap Plastics Association (CSPA).

• At the CAMU premises, the meeting was attended by Mr Wang Zhenwu, Executive Vice President and Secretary General Mr Li Shubin, Deputy Secretary Generals Mr Wang Fangjie, Mr Du Xingya and Mr Feng Helin, Ms Pu Hong and Ms Zhai Jing from CAMU’s Marketing and Conference Division.

Mr Li Shubin welcomed the BIR group and gave a brief introduction of the situation of the scrap association. He stated that since joining BIR in 1995, CAMU has maintained a strong cooperation with BIR. Every year, a delegation is sent to BIR Conventions in order to promote and strengthen the integration of CAMU into the international market. During the welcome address, he also showed the association’s 20th anniversary video.

Mr Baxi and Mr Chiao made a short presentation of BIR activities and reaffirmed the work done by CAMU in promoting international exchanges and cooperation in the scrap iron and steel industries.

Mr Baxi stated that China’s rapid development in recent years, especially its steel industry, puts the country in an important position in the world. In fact, recycling and the use of steel scrap save energy, reduce carbon emissions and provide a significant contribution towards climate change mitigation. Mr Baxi expressed his hope that through BIR, other countries would be made aware of the efforts made by China, and that the cooperation will further be strengthened at the scientific, social and institutional levels so as to convey China’s experience and rapid development worldwide.

• The meeting at the CSPA premises was attended by the Association’s Executive Chairman Mr Huang Chuqi, the Executive Vice President Mr Guo Jia Wan, the Secretary General Mr Wang Wang and the Secretariat staff.

Secretary General Mr Wang Wang extended a warm welcome to the BIR President on behalf of the association and gave a short presentation of the Association’s work. As a BIR member, the CSPA has maintained a friendly and close cooperation with BIR and the two associations continue to learn from each other.

Mr Baxi reaffirmed the CSPA’s important contribution to the exchange of trade information about China’s plastics recycling sector, and then presented the work done in order to facilitate communication and cooperation between BIR’s national associations and international organizations.

President Baxi said that the recycling of plastics has become one of the world’s most important topics, especially due to the fact that recent reports show that plastics waste in the marine environment leads to the death of a large number of fish and birds, and expressed BIR’s concern as a global recycling organization.

Finally, both sides discussed China’s “National Sword” action, as well as the current domestic regulations on waste plastics imports. President Baxi expressed his concern about China’s “imported plastic” not being prohibited and further discussed other important development trends of the plastics recycling industry. The Association invited President Baxi to attend the 17th China Plastics Recycling Exhibition & Conference (11-12 April 2017) in Dongguan (Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center), in order to get first-hand information on recent policy changes in China.

• At the CMRA premises, Vice-President and Secretary General Mr Wang Jiwei, Vice-Presidents Li Shilong and Zhang Xizhong, Deputy Secretary-General Wu Yan, Li Bo and the main representative of various departments attended the meeting and welcomed Mr Baxi and Mr Chiao.

Mr Wang Jiwei stated that since 2002 onwards and for the past 15 years, CMRA has been sending a delegation every year at BIR Conventions in order to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two associations. Many BIR members have maintained a good business relationship with CMRA members. CMRA hopes that the close cooperation between the two associations and their member companies will be extended from trade/business cooperation to advanced technology, equipment, investment, media and publicity, etc. in the future. Mr Wang Jiwei also took the opportunity to introduce CMRA’s “Metal Recycling Day”, which was first launched during the 2016 CMRA Annual Convention.

Mr Baxi said that BIR was very pleased with the cooperation between BIR and CMRA over the years, and that China is the largest metals recycling market in the world. Metal recycling in China has considerably reduced carbon dioxide emissions and ensures environmental sustainability, while conserving natural resources. Mr Baxi further expressed his hope for a closer cooperation at the scientific, social and institutional levels in order to convey China’s experience and rapid development to the world.

Mr Baxi told the representatives of the Chinese associations that BIR would be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018, during which BIR affiliated national associations would jointly promote the celebration of a “Global Recycling Day”. He invited the associations to become part of the fervent advocacy units. He also invited the leaders of the associations to attend the “World Council of Recycling Associations” meeting which would be held during BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Hong Kong in May 2017.