What is Global Recycling Day (18th March)?

Born in 1994 in the United States, Global Recycling Day takes place every 18th March. Led by the BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) since 2018, it's steered in France by a federation of recycling companies, FER (Fédération des Entreprises du Recyclage) that champions the use of recycled products.

This event is a global initiative aimed at raising public awareness about recycling issues and promoting more sustainable practices.
It's not by mere chance that the official launch happened in 2018.That year, the urgency of environmental issues concerning waste management shifted up a gear, around the globe.With pollution, depletion of natural resources, and climate change affecting the whole world, every country found itself facing increasingly difficult challenges.Global Recycling Day was therefore created in response to this urgency, as a way to rally people all over the planet around a common cause.

According to the regulatory definition in France's Environmental Code, recycling is "any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes." In other words:Recycling is all about turning waste into something useful.

The BIR is an international business association representing companies involved in recycling and processing metal waste.BIR founded this event not only to promote the activities of its members but also to raise public awareness about the importance of recycling in a circular economy.

The main goals of Global Recycling Day are manifold:
The point is to help people better understand recycling and its impact:what materials are recyclable?how does the recycling process unfold? in what ways does it benefit the environment?
Encouraging good practices:or the chance to spread information about good sorting and recycling practices, and about the various recycling channels available.
Stimulating international cooperation: by bringing together actors from around the world, this event promotes exchanges and cooperation among different countries.
Inciting people to change their consumption habits:by reusing items and carefully sorting our packaging, each of us can make a real difference.

Half of the plastic waste collected for recycling is exported to be processed outside the European Union.

In 2019, roughly 22 million tonnes of plastic ended up in the soil, rivers, and oceans, and plastic leakage is expected to double by 2060.
To reduce the production of waste for recycling, European regulations require EU countries to achieve a 5 % drop in the total packaging waste per capita, compared to 2018, by 2030;a 10 % drop from now to 2035 and 15 % from now to 2040.
According to a report by the World Bank titled "What a Waste 2.0," the world produces 2.01 billion tonnes of solid urban waste per year. At least 33% this waste is not properly treated; in other words, it is not processed in an environmentally friendly manner.

To reduce waste: the aim is also to preserve natural resources and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
To save energy: manufacturing from recycled materials consumes less energy than from raw materials.

Contamination of flows: The presence of contaminants in waste (such as food in packaging) makes the process more difficult and costly.
Lack of profitability: For some materials, recycling may be less cost-effective than producing products from virgin raw materials.

Complexity of value chains: The value chains are often long and convoluted, which makes it hard to trace the materials and make sure they are effectively recycled.
Insufficient infrastructures: In many countries, waste collection, sorting, and processing facilities are lacking or insufficient to meet needs.
Resource consumption: Recycling itself consumes energy and resources.
To minimise this impact, it's therefore imperative to optimise processes.

Sort your waste:separating the different types (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal) makes the process easier.
Reduce your consumption: prioritise sustainability, buy in bulk, repair instead of throwing away, and so on. There are lots of ways to help cut down waste production.
Reusegive things a second life by repairing them, transforming them, or swapping them.