Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries

K nown as the “Voice of the Recycling Industry,” ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries) is a private, non-profit trade association repre- senting more than 1,300 private and public for-prof- it companies, operating at more than 6,000 facilities in the United States and 40 countries worldwide. Based inWashington, D.C., ISRI promotes public awareness of the value and importance of recycling to the production of the world’s goods and services, along with the positive environmental benefits de- rived from scrap recycling.As part of this effort, ISRI advocates on behalf of the industry before the U.S. Congress, federal and state agencies, state govern- ments, and international bodies to help ensure the free and fair trade of scrap commodities globally. Recently, Business ViewMagazine spoke with ISRI President, RobinWiener, about the association’s successes and challenges,membership benefits, and the future of the recycling industry.The following is an edited transcript of that conversation. BVM: Can you give us the background on ISRI and how it has evolved? Wiener : “ISRI was formed in 1987. I’ve been involved