BIR Report

BIR to Address Fraud, Theft from Export Containers

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), Brussels, has subscribed to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), one of three bureaus that form Commercial Crime Services, an anti-crime unit of the International Chamber of Commerce. The recycling association will test out the service for a trial period until June 2013.

The BIR has taken the step in an effort to reduce losses from container shipments, primarily those to China, that association members are seeing. The theft and fraud issue has been growing in concern, culminating in discussions held during BIR’s spring convention in Rome.

Under the arrangement, the IMB will collate incidents regarding container shipments. According to BIR, the sharing of the information has been effective in reducing risk in other membership sectors of the IMB. Once reports have been verified and recorded, details will be available to BIR members upon checking. Any information passed to the IMB will be treated in strict confidence. IMB will circulate warnings or alerts in some cases.

The BIR secretariat requests that all association members forward reports of fraud and theft from container shipments to the IMB, marked to the attention of the director, identifying themselves as BIR members. A copy also should be sent the BIR office. Reports should consist of a short summary and supporting documentation.

The IMB can be contacted through www.icc-ccs.org, by email at imb@icc-ccs.org, by phone at 011-44 -0-20-7423-6960 or by fax at 011-44-0-20-7160-5249.

The BIR notes that the service does not replace the BIR Arbitration Service, which BIR members may want to use in cases of commercial disputes.
 

BIR Returns to Barcelona

The Princess Sofia Hotel in Barcelona will host delegates of the 2012 BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) World Recycling Convention Autumn Round-Table Sessions Oct. 29-30. Regular attendees of BIR events may remember the venue, as it was the site of the association’s events in 1994 and 2005.

A number of plenary sessions are planned for Monday, Oct. 29, including the Paper Round-Table, Ferrous Round-Table and Plastics Round-Table. Meetings of the Latin American committee, ferrous board, stainless steel board, shredder board and young traders committee also are scheduled for Monday. The evening culminates in a welcome reception that begins at 8 p.m. at the Palau Nacional – Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

The Palau Nacional is a Neo-Baroque building built for the 1929 International Exhibition. The reception is in the Oval Hall, which was renovated in 1992 and opened in time for Barcelona to host the summer Olympics that year. The event is open to all registered BIR participants, guests and spouses. The BIR says it plans “stunning entertainment and plenty of delicious food.”

Tuesday’s plenary sessions include the stainless steel and special alloys round-table, nonferrous round-table and tires round-table.

Simultaneous interpretation in English, French, German and Spanish is provided at all of the event’s plenary sessions.

More information on the BIR World Recycling Convention Autumn Round-Table Sessions is available at www.bir.org.