In the blink of an eye, September’s annual Resource & Waste Management Expo (RWM) was back again on 13-14 September 2023.

Now part of the overall umbrella, The Environmental Services and Solutions Expo, co-located with Flood & Water Management Expo, Contamination & Land Remediation Expo and Energy, Fuels & Decarbonisation Expo, means RWM is the premier recycling exhibition in the UK.

Exhibitors and visitors form across all materials joined to network and see a host of conference seminars that covered a range of subjects from lithium-ion batteries, the ‘Blue Planet’ effect to the wood waste industry and the future.

BMRA was, as ever, well represented during the conference with Antonia Grey, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, chairing and presenting on Wednesday. Antonia was joined by David Thomas, Senior Lecturer H&S Management - Middlesex University, Gareth Rollings, LARAC National Rep & Head of Waste WSCC – LARAC, and Phil Clark, Emerging Energy Technology Lead - National Fire Chiefs Council, as they discussed the hidden dangers of lithium battery disposal.

This was a well-attended session with many standing in order to hear more about this topical subject.

On Thursday, Antonia chaired a session, alongside other key stakeholders in the battle to combat mis-placed lithium batteries. During the

session, the panel discussed how the recycling industry is combating the issue of lithium-ion battery fires through communications and lobbying. Antonia was joined by Niamh McBride, Local Authority Partnership Manager - Material Focus and Patrick Brighty, Recycling Policy Advisor - Environmental Services Association.

They covered recent campaigns that all three organisations had delivered as well as the lobbying efforts that each are doing, with all concluding that the issue needs Government support to help fund and educate the public as well as initiatives like kerbside collections to help ensure these batteries make it into the correct waste stream and are ultimately, able to be recycled.

The session came as new research by Material Focus highlighted that it now estimates 5 million disposable vapes, which contain lithium-ion batteries, are being thrown away a week, and the Government is considering a ban on these devices.

Any child of the 70s and 80s will also have felt a touch of nostalgia as two of the Wombles, Orinoco and Tobermory, who are making a screen comeback, were present. Kate, BMRA’s Marketing Manager, and Antonia, couldn’t resist the opportunity of a picture!

Once again, RWM presented the occasion to see members, talk to potential members, and talk to a wider stakeholder audience about both the positives and negatives affecting the industry and the wider recycling community.

Our thanks to the team at RoarB2B, who kindly allows the BMRA to exhibit free of charge and to curate sessions that are relevant to the industry.

Keep an eye out for the show next year, once again being held at the NEC Birmingham, 11-12 September 2024.

UK Metals Expo

BMRA members and fellow metal recyclers, can ensure a full day of attractions, as the UK Metals Expo is held in a neighbouring hall at the NEC. Focusing on the entire metals supply chain, members are able to meet with primary metal manufacturing to supply chain management, processing metals, metal fabrication, machinery, engineering, surface coatings and recycling.

At this show, the UK Metals Council, of which BMRA is a member, launched a new report UK Metals Council’s State of the Metals Industry in the UK 2023/24. While the BMRA contributed to the report, some of its members also responded to the survey that informed the report.

It highlighted that rising energy prices, the impact of life after the EU and labour shortages continue to be the main challenges facing the UK metals sector.

“We touch metals every day, whether that is in our homes, in the cars, planes and trains we travel in, the medical devices we rely on, as well as tools and machinery used for their production,” explained Rachel Eade MBE, Chair of the UK Metals Council.

“Importantly, it is now recognised that metals can be infinitely and readily recycled into new parts, something that cannot be said for many other materials in modern life – we need to value metals more as we move to a Net Zero economy. Foundation industries will continue to play a critical role in the way we all live, and this vital sector needs a voice to ensure that the Government understands the journey we are on.”

You can download the report here.

The UK Metals Council is made up of 12 trade associations from across the full spectrum of the metals supply chain, from primary manufacturing to recycling.

35 Under 35

On the Wednesday, Letsrecycle presented its 35 under 35 awards. It was no surprise to his BMRA colleagues that Cameron Leitch, BMRA’s Policy and Public Affairs Executive, was named in this prestigious list.

Joining the BMRA just eighteen months ago, Cameron has blazed a trail and immersed himself into the industry, now becoming a familiar face in key policy meetings on behalf of the industry and across social media.

He has played a key role in many important issues covered by the BMRA including metal theft, in which he has been instrumental in producing the report on behalf the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Metal, Stone and Heritage Crime that will be released shortly, as well as being the BMRA Secretariat lead for the Carbon Action Committee, where he has project managed the development of a bespoke metal recycling carbon calculator tool.

Many members will know him as the Secretariat lead for the Young British Metal Recycler (YBMR) group, where he has re-established a managing committee and has escorted the group on various networking and learning opportunities including, a trip to the AMRC 2050 factory, Fundamentals of Metallurgy training, a trip to the London Metal Exchange, as well as hosting the first ever YBMR conference.

Congratulations Cameron!