On Global Recycling Day, Industry Leaders Unite to Highlight the Essential Role of Recycled Materials in Manufacturing and Economic Growth

(March 18, 2026 - Washington, D.C.) - Leaders across the recycled materials industry are uniting to celebrate Global Recycling Day on March 18, highlighting the essential role recycling plays in driving manufacturing growth, strengthening supply chains worldwide, and powering essential infrastructure.

Led by the Global Recycling Foundation and supported by founding sponsor organizations including the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), TOMRA Recycling, and other international partners, Global Recycling Day recognizes the importance of recycled materials in building a sustainable and resilient global economy.

"From metals, plastics, paper, and glass to textiles, rubber, and electronics - across the United States and around the world - recycled materials are essential inputs for manufacturing and infrastructure," said ReMA President Robin Wiener. "The proof is all around us - recycled materials are in the everyday products we rely on. Global Recycling Day is an opportunity to recognize this critical industry."

Recycled materials are a foundational component of modern manufacturing and play a critical role in conserving resources while supporting economic development. Consider these facts:

• Manufacturing with recycled materials can reduce energy consumption by up to 90% and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 96%, compared to manufacturing from virgin materials.
• In the United States alone, the recycled materials industry generates more than $183 billion in economic activity and supports more than 600,000 jobs.

"On Global Recycling Day, we celebrate the invaluable economic and environmental contribution of our industry," said BMRA CEO James Kelly. "In the UK, the metals recycling sector directly employs more than 15,000 people and generates £9 billion in GVA each year. Its sustainability credentials are equally impressive: recycling metal emits significantly less CO₂ and uses far less energy than producing metal from raw materials. As a permanent material, metal can be recycled endlessly - reducing landfill, preserving natural habitats, and protecting vital resources."

"Moving to a circular economy is essential for reducing waste and pollution, while keeping recyclable materials in use. We appreciate the Global Recycling Foundation's efforts to highlight recycling's economic and environmental benefits," says Michelle Landon, SVP and head of Americas at TOMRA Recycling. "Our sensor-based solutions support customers in maximizing resource recovery through partnerships and collaboration."

As global demand for materials continues to grow, driven by electrification and advanced manufacturing, recycling will play an increasingly important role in helping industries access reliable and sustainable resources. The organizations supporting Global Recycling Day encourage businesses, policymakers, and individuals to recognize recycling as a key component of modern supply chains and a driver of economic opportunity.

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About BMRA
The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) represents the £7 billion metals recycling sector, which comprises an estimated 2,000 businesses and employs over 15,000 people. The industry trades and processes 11.5 million tonnes of ferrous and non-ferrous metals every year. On average, the UK exports between 70%-80% of all scrap arisings in the UK.

Scrap metals are secondary raw materials whose use reduces the demand for precious natural resources needed to make new metal compounds - such as iron ore in steelmaking; nickel in stainless steel; or alumina and bauxite in aluminium smelting.

For example, every tonne of recycled steel saves:

• 1.5 tonnes of iron ore
• 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide
• 0.5 tonnes of coal
• 70% of the energy
• 40% of the water

www.recyclemetals.orgopens in a new tab

About ReMA
The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) represents more than 1,700 companies in the U.S. and 40 countries around the globe. Based in Washington, D.C., ReMA provides advocacy, education, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycled materials play in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development.

About TOMRA
With over 11,000 sorting systems installed in more than 100 countries, TOMRA Recyclingopens in a new tab is a global leader in sensor-based sorting solutions for the recycling and waste management industry. The company's mission is clear: harness the latest AI technologies to help customers turn waste into value.

TOMRA Recycling was the first to develop advanced waste and metal sorting applications using high-capacity near-infrared (NIR) technology, and the first to introduce AI technologies based on deep learning to the recycling industry. Its product portfolio includes systems for resource recovery and material upgrading across a wide range of streams, including municipal solid waste, plastics (including food-grade sorting), single-stream recycling, wood, textiles, aluminum, e-scrap and more.

TOMRA Recycling is a division of the TOMRA Groupopens in a new tab. Founded in 1972, TOMRA's mission is to transform how resources are sourced, used and reused to enable a world without waste. The Group also includes TOMRA Food and TOMRA Collection. In 2024, TOMRA generated revenues of approximately 1,348 million EUR. The company employs 5,300 people globally and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Its headquarters are in Asker, Norway.

For further information about TOMRA Recycling, visit www.tomra.com/waste-metal-recyclingopens in a new tab and follow us on LinkedInopens in a new tab, Xopens in a new tab,opens in a new tabFacebookopens in a new tab and Instagramopens in a new tab.