About BIR

Founded in 1948, BIR was the first federation to support the interests of the recycling industry on an international scale. Today, BIR represents over 750 member companies from the private sector and 40 national associations in more than 70 countries. Together, these members form the largest international recycling federation.

The federation provides a dynamic forum for its members to share their knowledge and experience. It serves as a platform to establish successful business relations and to promote recycling among other industrial sectors and policy makers.

BIR is a non-profit organisation under Belgian law. Their statutes (Articles of Association) and Internal Regulations were revised and approved in October 2010. The registered office is currently headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

Our Mission

The Bureau of International Recycling promotes materials recycling and facilitates free and fair trade of recyclables in a sustainable and competitive world economy.

Other key goals of BIR and its members are:

  • To speak as one voice representing the international recycling industries globally;
  • To raise public awareness of their economic and environmental contributions such as the reduction of energy consumption and of greenhouse emissions;
  • To promote free trade, the environmentally sound management of resources and the use of recycled materials worldwide;
  • To encourage manufacturers to design products with a better understanding of the possibilities for recycling;
  • To provide its members with a proper forum to discuss issues of importance to the international recycling community;
  • To provide its members, through arbitration, with a fast and efficient means to resolve commercial disputes.

Areas of Work

BIR offers its members timely information about the international recycling markets, their legislative context and the latest technologies. Its work is structured according to the following commodity divisions:

and commodity committies

 

BIR President Björn Grufman

At the 2011 General Assembly of the Bureau of International Recycling on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 in Singapore, the world recycling body elected its new President, the Swedish national Björn Grufman of Metallvärden AB.

A long-standing member of the organisation, Mr Grufman was approved by the General Assembly for a first 2-year mandate, which can be extended once.

In his opening address, he thanked his predecessor Dominique Maguin for his excellent work during the past 4 years and expressed his gratitude to be at the head of such an important international organisation. “BIR has profiled itself as the sole truly international recycling federation. I am honoured to be serving its over 800 member companies and national recycling federations in the coming years.”

Mr Grufman is Managing Director and main owner of M.V. Metallvärden AB, a Sweden-based scrap trading and processing company. Mr Grufman joined BIR in 1989 and since then has held several senior positions such as BIR Treasurer and Vice-President of the Non Ferrous Metals Division.

Mr Grufman was also President of EUROMETREC, the European Metal Trade and Recycling Federation, Chairman of the Nordic Recycling Federation NRF and is currently Board member of the Swedish Recycling Industries association Atervinningsindustrierna.