Association News

ITRA PREPARES EXHIBITORS FOR INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES

Citing increased membership from companies and people overseas, the International Tire and Rubber Association, Louisville, Ky., is telling exhibitors at next month’s Annual Convention to be prepared to handle attendees from foreign countries.

ITRA has recruited overseas members and expanded membership so that it now includes about 20 percent foreign members, and association officials are concerned about complaints received from attendees at last year’s convention.

One trade specialist who recruited a large delegation to attend last year’s convention told ITRA officials that "our visitors were happy with the workshops and seminars – they found them to be very useful. However, they were disappointed when they visited the exhibition and asked about European transactions, only to be told they would need to deal with the person in an overseas location. No one was available to consummate any business or discuss technical issues at the exhibition."

Last year, ITRA officials say, more than 25 percent of the convention attendees were from foreign countries. "If you conduct business overseas, are looking for agents, or want to start joint ventures, we urge you to come to Louisville prepared to discuss international business with overseas attendees," says one ITRA official.

This year, ITRA has targeted 15 countries with large numbers of tire dealers, repairers, retreaders and recyclers, and has contacted embassy representatives to help bring delegations to Louisville.

The ITRA convention will be held April 16 through 19 in Louisville. For more information, call (800) 426-8835; e-mail intra@aol.com ; or online at www.itra.com .

STEEL RECYCLING INSTITUTE LAUNCHES INTERNET SITE

The latest information on steel recycling is now available on the Internet, according to officials of the Steel Recycling Institute, Pittsburgh. The institute has launched a web site featuring key information on various aspects of steel, including recycling.

"This web site will not only provide information to a much wider audience, it is also an environmentally responsible means of source reducing the documents sent out daily by our organization," says Bill Heenan, president of SRI.

Visitors to SRI’s Internet site at www.recycle-steel.org can find up-to-date recycling rates and interesting facts about steel; information on residential recycling of steel food, paint and aerosol cans; information on recycling steel food cans in food service facilities; information on recycling steel automobiles and appliances; environmental benefits of using steel framing in residential construction; descriptions of the educational programs available through SRI; upcoming presentation and program dates; and recent media releases.

Also, the site will soon feature links to other Internet sites, including manufacturers, recyclers, end markets and environmental organizations.

BATTERY INITIATIVE TARGETS CANADIANS

The Canadian Household Battery Association, Toronto, and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp., Gainesville, Fla., are joining forces to launch a nickel-cadmium battery recycling program across Canada. The initiative will give consumers the opportunity to properly dispose of NI-CADs at participating retail outlets and municipal household hazardous waste collection events.

If these options are not available or convenient, residents will be able to mail spent batteries directly to a designated NI-CAD recycling facility. The voluntary program will be funded by brand owners who license the RBRC seal based on the number of batteries they produce. RBRC is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to facilitate the recycling of NI-CADS.

The program is expected to be in full swing by this month.

For more information, call RBRC at (352) 376-6693 in Gainesville, (416) 535-9210 in Toronto, or (800) 8-BATTERY; or call CHBA at (416) 535-6710. For additional information concerning the recycling of portable batteries, interested parties can call the Portable Rechargeable Battery Recycling Association, Atlanta, at (770) 612-8826.

CAN CENTRAL ANSWERS CANNY QUESTIONS

When were the first cans used and for what purposes? How are cans made today? How much does an aluminum can weigh? How many cans are recycled each year? Answers to these and other questions about the can manufacturing industry can be found on-line and through a toll-free hotline sponsored by the Can Manufacturers Institute, Washington.

Included in the information is data on the industry’s recycling accomplishments (such as the Great Aluminum Can Roundup program), pollution reduction achievements and key efforts in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Interested parties can call the hotline at (888) CAN-CENTRAL; or go online at www.cancentral.com .

PLASTICS ASSOCIATIONS UNIFY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

The Society of the Plastics Industry and the American Plastics Council, Washington, have unified their state government affairs operations to enhance the industry’s advocacy effectiveness at the state and local levels.

Roger Bernstein, senior director of government affairs and regional operations, will manage the SPI/APC unified state operations. Both staff and others working on behalf of SPI/APC will identify themselves as SPI/APC government affairs representatives, speaking on behalf of the overall plastics industry.