The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR, Brussels / Belgium; www.bir.org) has founded the Global Recycling Foundation, which is run as an independent organisation. Current BIR president Ranjit Baxi is also the president of the foundation. He described the global foundation as a "vehicle for investment" that will seek and use funds from donors to promote educational campaigns on recycling.

The goals of the foundation include to support "Global Recycling Day" each year on 18 March (the first edition was in 2018), promote recycling worldwide and share best practices, protect biodiversity and encourage environmental actions, commit to a circular economy and support R&D in the field of recycling.

Baxi said, "The recycling industry is at the epicentre of action on resource preservation. Without it all our used and discarded fridges, plastic bottles, packing boxes, cars, cell phones, clothes and paper cups will contribute to the growing waste mountains, be incinerated or go to landfill – never to be used again." He noted the importance of engaging the "widest population" possible no matter where they are located.

BIR represents the interests of recycling companies and national associations from 70 countries, and is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018. The association consists of four commodity divisions – iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, paper and textiles. It also has three commodity committees for plastics, rubber and stainless steel and special alloys.

On 18 March 2019, Global Recycling Day will run under the theme "Recycling into the Future", and focus on the impact future technologies and the world's youth can have on recycling. Global supporters include well-known brand owners such as Coca-Cola, L'Occitane, Tetra Pak and Danone, waste management company Veolia as well as Greenpeace and WWF.