Get ready to celebrate the first Global Recycling Day – BIR Leadership discusses cooperation at UN level

It is just under 24 days before the world’s first Global Recycling Day on 18 March 2018, an initiative of  BIR to demonstrate how the items we discard and the goods society recycles have the power to combat climate change and – potentially – change the world in which we live.

With its Manifesto launched on 13th December 2017, BIR calls on the world to wake up to the power of the Seventh Resource. The document, which has been masterminded by Ranjit Baxi, President of BIR, and supported by Dr Katharina Kummer Peiry, former Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention, and Philippe Chalmin, Professor of Economic History at Paris-Dauphine University, introduces the public to its newly coined concept of a ‘Seventh Resource’.

“Recycling: The Seventh Resource Manifesto” sets out the vision and mission of Global Recycling Day, and tells the global story of our use of resources, showcasing our collective responsibility towards the goods and materials we use and discard.  It asks world leaders and individuals to rethink the word ‘waste’ and to put true economic and environmental value behind recyclables.

BIR President Ranjit Baxi comments: “We want Global Recycling Day itself to be a day of celebration, championship and change:  celebration of the goods and materials around us; championship of the good recycling can do, and for us all to make a change in our attitudes and practices towards our own waste and recycling habits.”

On 15 February 2018, BIR President Ranjit Baxi, BIR Director General Arnaud Brunet and Dr Katharina Kummer Peiry, former Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention, were honored to meet with Mr Li Yong, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to present the Manifesto of Recycling. Mr Li recognised the huge contribution of the global recycling industries to the fight against climate change, and the importance of the Seventh resource as part of the circular economy. He confirmed UNIDO’s support of BIR’s Global Recycling Day, while setting the foundations of a future cooperation between the two organisations to promote the celebration of the Global recycling Day and beyond.

As a matter of fact, events across the globe are being planned to mark this special day for recycling. London, Berlin, Washington DC, Sao Paolo, Paris, Johannesburg, Delhi, and Dubai will be among the first host cities with events being organised to encourage people to change their habits when it comes to recycling, through the involvement of local BIR members and action groups. Individuals attending the events will be invited to pledge to change their habits in at least one way and to sign the petition for the day to be recognised by the United Nations (so far 4604 signatures).

The hashtag #GlobalRecyclingDay will let people get involved on social media by sharing videos and pictures of them celebrating recycling.

Global Recycling Day aims to showcase how critical recycling is to people’s day to day lives.

Get ready to be involved and take action to make a positive change on 18 March 2018, and share it on the Global Recycling Day’s social channels (Facebook (2,945 likes), Twitter (4,503 followers).