JULY 2014 website: Recovery Guild

The Recovery Gremi de Catalunya, since its founding in 1953, has set itself a main objective. Dignify the profession of salvager (popularly known as scrap metal dealer) in society and disseminate the important role that salvagers have in today's way of life. When the culture of recycling did not yet exist and no one gave importance to waste and its management, the union members were already working on recycling. Currently, the Gremi has more than 300 associated companies between wholesalers and retailers, a figure that represents 70% of the companies in the sector in Catalonia that manage more than 90% of the material that is recovered in this autonomous community. This situation gives our entity great independence and objectivity when working and taking care of the interests of the members. The materials recovered by the associated companies are: FERROUS METALS: steel, iron... NON-FERROUS METALS: aluminum, copper, lead,... PAPER AND CARDBOARD GLASS PLASTICS OUT OF USE VEHICLES DRUMS WOOD TIRES TEXTILE Throughout these years, the managers of waste, (the name given to reclaimers in current legislation) have gone from collecting all types of materials: rags, old sneakers, skins, papers, fabrics, scrap metal, etc., to specializing in one type of waste and have become an industry: they are the producers of raw materials from secondary raw materials. Thanks to them our cities look much better. So let's respect this profession, because it is as worthy as any other.