For Immediate Release April 15, 2011 Washington, D.C. – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., (ISRI) has made a donation to the Japanese Red Cross to help in the aftermath of the devastating disasters that have occurred in that nation. ISRI President Robin Wiener has offered condolence to members of the Japan Iron and Steel Recycling Institute and their families as one of the world’s largest scrap producing economies struggles to recover from loss and damage felt throughout their country. Although most of the Japan ISRI members were forced to cancel their trip to ISRI’s 2011 Convention and Expo, held last week in Los Angeles, ISRI was honored to have representatives from the Hitachi Research Institute from Tokyo to speak on the recovery of rare earth metals.
ISRI Chairman John Sacco cited the Japanese delegation during his general session speech at the convention:
“One of our international delegations is not here this week: our colleagues from Japan. The leadership of the Japanese Iron and Steel Recycling Institute had planned to bewith us this year but had to cancel after the unbelievable tragedies that have struck their nation. The combination of a massive earthquake and tsunami, followed by the ongoing radiation issues, has created a burden that does not allow their delegation to attend.
Our industry has a proud history of joining together to help others in their time of need, and today is no different. ISRI will make a donation of $10,000 to relief efforts in Japan and I know many of you in this audience have also contributed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our friends and colleagues in Japan, and to all the people of the country during this very difficult time.”
“The United States scrap recycling industry contributes not only to the global economy, but the global community as well,” Wiener said. “Our lives are all connected.”
Last year, the United States exported more than 290 thousand metric tons of commodity grade material, (primarily stainless steel, precious metals and non-ferrous scrap) to Japan, a value of more than half a billion dollars.
To learn more about the Japanese Red Cross, please click
here.
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., (ISRI) is the “Voice of the Recycling Industry.” ISRI represents approximately 1,500 companies in 21 chapters nationwide that process, broker and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, ISRI provides education, advocacy and compliance training and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays in the US economy, global trade and environment