BIR World Recycling Convention (Round-Table Sessions) Prague, (25) 26-27 October 2015:

International Environment Council: Three guest speakers address variety of topics such as ‘Circular Economy’ and ‘How to Avoid Poisoning the Recycling Chain’

The BIR International Environment Council under the chairmanship of Olivier François of Galloo (Belgium) will feature guest presentations on two distinct but related topics during their plenary meeting in Prague on Tuesday, 27 October 2015 at 15.30.

The presentation on "Toxic Recycling – How to Avoid Poisoning the Recycling Chain" will be by given by Dr Jindřich Petrlik, Executive Director / Co-chair of Dioxin, PCBs and Waste WG Toxics and Waste Programme, Arnika Association (Czech Republic). The Arnika Association was established as an NGO in 2001 in the Czech Republic to focus on environment protection, toxic chemicals releases and bad waste management practices. Mr Petrlik holds a master’s degree from Masaryk University in Brno. He was active in the environmental movement before the velvet revolution in the Czech Republic and closely worked with dissident Ivan Dejmal, who became second minister of environment of the Czech Republic after 1989. Between 2005 and 2006, Mr Petrlik represented IPEN in the Expert Group on Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices established by the UN-EP Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. He co-authored the popular book "Jak zit dobre, zdrave a ekologicky setrne" (How to live well, healthy and environmentally friendly) and also "The Egg Report", which monitored dioxins and other POPs in free range chicken eggs from 17 countries across 4 continents.

The following two presentations will be complementary as both address the complex topic of  Circular Economy. From our host country's government perspective, Mr Jaromír Manhart, Director of the Waste Management Department (Czech Ministry of Environment) will talk on the "Issue of a Circular Economy from the Perspective of the Czech Republic". Mr Manhart studied water and waste water management at the Technical University in Prague, where he also obtained a Teacher´s Degree in Chemistry. He is a member of the POPs waste working group of the UN-EP Basel Convention and also of the PCBs Elimination Network of the UN-EP Stockholm Convention. Moreover, Mr Manhart is a TAIEX EC waste expert of the European Union.

Subsequently, Mr Emmanuel Katrakis, Secretary General of the European Recycling Industries' Confederation EuRIC aisbl, will give a presentation with the title "Towards a Market Driven Circular Economy". EuRIC is the umbrella organisation of the European Recycling Industries based in Brussels, which spearheads the industry’s advocacy on the "Circular Economy" towards the European Institutions in Brussels. In 2014, Mr Katrakis took up the post of EuRIC’s Secretary General at the time when the organisation was created. Prior to joining EuRIC, he worked in an international law firm and two industry associations where he gained an in-depth experience in association management. Mr Katrakis is a graduate in European law from the College of Europe in Bruges.

Attending delegates will also hear BIR Trade & Environment Director Ross Bartley, who will be presenting his bi-annual report on BIR activities in international fora such as the IAEA, the UN-EP Basel Convention and the OECD. Together with Mr Eric Harris, Associate Counsel/Director of Government & International Affairs of the US American recycling association ISRI, they will encourage members to support the Environmental Goods Agreement at the WTO that is moving towards a final agreement.

Download the agenda here.

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