The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has postponed its global convention scheduled for May amid growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
The Brussels-based trade group has postponed its World Recycling Convention, scheduled for 17-20 May in Istanbul, Turkey, to 11-14 October 2020.
The annual global convention typically draws more than 1,000 industry attendees throughout the recycling sector, including metal, plastic, paper, rubber and other materials.
"For the first time in the 72-year long history of BIR, one of our world recycling conventions will not take place as planned," BIR president Tom Bird said. "We know how important our events are for our members' businesses, and therefore, this decision was not taken lightly."
The BIR postponement comes a week after US-based trade group Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) canceled its annual convention, the largest in the scrap sector, that was scheduled for 25-30 April in Las Vegas, Nevada.