The Bureau of International Recycling’s forthcoming convention will examine the commercial and regulatory pressures facing recyclers, alongside a question central to the industry’s future: how to attract and retain the people it needs.
The BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition will bring the international recycling industry to Málaga’s FYCMA Trade Fairs and Congress Centre on 26–27 October 2026, with registration opening on 25 October. Its programme combines specialist commodity sessions with discussions of environmental policy, international trade and workforce development.
The published session announcements reveal a recurring concern: how access to materials, markets and skilled employees will shape recycling businesses. Copper availability, restrictions on international trade and regulatory uncertainty in recovered paper will feature prominently, giving the meeting a clear focus on the conditions under which circular supply chains operate.
Building the next recycling workforce
The opening session will address recruitment, retention and generational change. Chaired by BIR President Susie Burrage OBE, it will feature youth researcher and generational expert Simon Schnetzer, whose keynote will explore younger employees’ expectations and the implications for employers.
BIR says the presentation will draw on input from its members to connect research with the recycling industry’s practical needs. Topics will include employee engagement, workplace expectations and leadership development. Placing workforce issues at the start of the convention signals their strategic importance: the sector’s ability to develop its businesses depends partly on its success in making recycling an attractive career.
Copper availability and stainless steel challenges
Copper will be the focus of the Non-Ferrous Metals Division session, chaired by divisional President Paul Coyte. The discussion will examine European market fundamentals, consumption requirements and the potential effects of export restrictions on material availability.
Economist Professor Frank Pothen of the University of Applied Sciences in Jena will provide a research perspective, while Joan Campmajo, CEO of ACIN Recycling Metals, will address supply and consumption from an industry standpoint. Together, their contributions will explore how market demand and trade policy could influence access to recycled copper.
The Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee will combine market analysis with an operational concern: radioactive contamination in recycling streams. Under Chairman Joost van Kleef, the session will feature a market outlook from SMR analyst Dr Gerhard Pariser. Specialist Álvaro Rodríguez de Sanabria will examine radioactive sources entering recycling yards and argue for stronger cooperation over responsibility and costs.
Trade restrictions under scrutiny
International trade will receive dedicated attention on Tuesday, when the International Trade Council considers how rising barriers affect recycling and circularity.
Chaired by Emmanuel Katrakis, the session will bring together Caroline Craenhals, Dhawal Shah, Alejandro Jaramillo and Kevin Gershowitz, offering perspectives from Europe, India, Latin America and the United States. Its announced subjects include the EU Waste Shipment Regulation, proposed restrictions on recycled metal exports and the consequences of restrictions introduced elsewhere.
The discussion is framed around a consequential question for the industry: whether protectionist measures can achieve their objectives without disrupting the international markets on which recycling businesses depend. The geographical range of the panel should help examine how decisions in one jurisdiction affect suppliers and consumers in others. BIR International Trade Council announcement.
Recovered paper faces regulatory uncertainty
The Paper Division will examine changing international fibre flows, demand patterns and logistical and regulatory pressures. Divisional President Francisco Donoso will moderate a panel featuring Ranjit Baxi, Marc Ehrlich, Simone Scaramuzzi, Dominique Maguin and Osman Kaytan.
European regulatory developments and their implications for international recovered paper trade will be central to the discussion. This extends the convention’s trade debate into a different material stream, allowing delegates to consider how policy changes interact with the commercial realities of paper recycling.
A programme spanning materials and business priorities
Monday’s schedule also includes the International Environment Council and Electronics Committee. Tuesday will open with a joint Plastics Division and Tyres & Rubber Committee session, followed later by the Ferrous Division and Paper Division. Exhibition access, networking lunches and Monday’s Welcome Evening will provide opportunities for business discussions. BIR also plans AI-powered simultaneous translation through Wordly in the plenary room.
Taken together, the announced sessions suggest that the Málaga meeting will examine the practical foundations of recycling’s future: reliable material supplies, access to international customers, workable regulation and a capable workforce. Their interaction gives the programme its broader significance for businesses planning their next investments and trading relationships.
title: Circular Technology (AI)
