BIR focuses on supporting the next generation of recycling leaders with new initiative

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) is launching its Future Recyclists initiative at its World Recycling Convention and Exhibition in Malaga, October 25 – 27, 2026. The global campaign aims to attract and retain the next generation of talent in recycling, as competition for graduate jobs intensifies and demand for green skills continues to grow. 

The recycling industry must do more to reach out to young talent to achieve growth 

U.K. graduate job vacancies fell by 45 percent year-on-year in July 2026, reaching a record low according to jobs website Adzuna, whilst independent research for the Future Recyclist's project pointed to a projected 2 percent gap between the supply of and demand for green jobs. For the recycling industry, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: the industry can offer meaningful and skilled careers in a competitive job market, but it also needs to do more to promote these opportunities and attract the talent it needs for the future.

Through Future Recyclists, BIR aims to showcase how the industry combines commercial opportunity with a vital role in conserving natural resources, recovering critical raw materials, and reducing energy use. As economies move towards more circular models, the sector needs to bring new and fresh thinking and specialist skills into its ranks to drive innovation and unlock the total potential of recycled materials. 

The Future Recylists website will provide inspirational content including testimonies from young recyclers, myth-busting facts, insights into the sector's role in the circular economy, and a comprehensive database explaining potential job roles.  

Developed in collaboration with students and graduates from both inside and outside the global recycling community, the website takes a different approach to BIR's established branding. Its edgy, editorial-style design combines interactive text and imagery with short, accessible content and is tailored to how Gen Z consumes information.

Initial test audiences have responded extremely positively to both the concept and design of Future Recyclists. The site is currently in beta format and is expected to go live in the coming months. 

Students can learn about a range of opportunities that harness diverse backgrounds 

Recycling offers a far wider range of career opportunities than many people realize. Beyond sorting and processing materials, the industry draws on expertise in materials science, engineering, trading, finance, and business development. From developing innovative ways to recover valuable resources to driving commercial growth, it offers career paths for people with different skills, interests and ambitions.

The website will help young people discover these opportunities through several dedicated sections, including industry stories, a toolkit with practical career advice, FAQs, a mentor hub, and in-depth guides to different recycling sectors. Together, these resources offer a clearer picture of how the industry works, the breadth of roles available and the different routes into a career in recycling.

As part of the initiative, BIR plans to build stronger links with universities worldwide, raising awareness of recycling careers among students and connecting emerging talent with businesses across its global membership.

By bridging the gap between the industry and the next generation of talent, Future Recyclists aims to help BIR members reach potential recruits and secure the specialist skills needed to drive innovation and growth across the industry.

Susie Burrage OBE, president of BIR, who has spearheaded the initiative, comments, "Recycling is an essential industry but does not always receive the recognition it deserves as an exciting, dynamic and financially rewarding career destination. We need to show the next generation the opportunities that exist within an industry that supplies vital recycled raw materials, drives innovation and helps shape our planet's future. 

"We need traders, finance professionals, commercial strategists, scientists, engineers, data specialists, and creative thinkers to help our businesses innovate and meet the challenges ahead. These are careers with real purpose, directly contributing to resource conservation and a more sustainable future. Through Future Recyclists, we want young people to see those opportunities — and see a future for themselves in our fabulous recycling industry," he added.

"Finance, technology and other industries compete for the brightest talent - and the recycling industry must make an equally compelling case for what it has to offer. Future Recyclists is an important step towards changing perceptions of recycling, putting these careers on the radar of the younger generation, and will help secure the diverse and specialist skills our industry needs," shared Arnaud Brunet, director general of BIR. 

"I am delighted we have announced this important project at our Malaga Convention, a city which champions change and innovation, and has reaped the rewards of driving forward its own transformation."