From Treasure to Trade: How ITA Drives Economic Growth in the U.S. Recycling Industry

Not only is recycling critical for conserving our resources, in the United States it’s big business and a big source of trade—to the tune of $117 billion in benefits to our economy and supports more than 500,000 American jobs in the manufacturing and recycling industries.

For years, ITA has partnered with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), a leading U.S. trade association for the recycling industry, to assist U.S. companies succeed in the international sale of recycled materials including metals, paper, glass, and plastics. Through the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), ITA is assisting ISRI to overcome trade barriers, enhance industry competitiveness, and reach new markets.

Because not all virgin and recycled materials are created equal, that makes specifications even more important in this trade. When buying and selling recycled goods, it’s important that U.S. businesses set specific and consistent guidelines to ensure materials are considered the best quality in the world, and that in return we are facilitating legitimate imports too. Thanks in part to ITA’s MDCP-supported work with ISRI, a new online version of ISRI’s specifications guide is available to help our U.S. recycling industry grow.

ITA’s work doesn’t stop with the recycling sector. If you are an industry association or advocate and have an idea for a project, we want to hear from you! Each year, our MDCP team holds a competition for awards amounting up to $300,000. Learn more about the Market Development Cooperator Program and whether you may be eligible.