Susie Burrage is the fourth generation of her family to own a recycling company. She founded Recycled Products Limited, UK, in 2001. It processes ferrous and non-ferrous metals at its recycling facilities in the UK. She is the current elected President of the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) where she chairs the Board of 18 members; President of the European Metal Trade and Recycling branch (EUROMETREC) of the European Recycling Industries Confederation (EuRIC) where she also sits on the EuRIC Board. 

As a small child, she preferred toy trucks over dolls! As a teenager she used to collect aluminium cans and sell them to her father. “I realise now he used to pay me a very inflated price but it piqued my interest in the profit recycling industry and I haven’t looked back since,” she says. 

The recycling industry is her passion as well as chosen career path. “I enjoy working for the betterment of the industry for the next generation. I truly believe we are entering a golden age of opportunities for the recycling industry, and I want to ensure we hand it down to our successors in the most advantageous way we can.”

Susie Burrage was the first woman to be elected to the Board of the British Metal Recycling Association in 2014 and subsequently became the president in 2016. She has been re-elected an unprecedented four times. “Under my tenure, I am particularly proud of the fact, we have launched two metal recycling apprenticeship schemes and significantly enhanced our communications.”

On January 1, 2023, her contribution to recycling was recognised by King Charles III’s in his inaugural New Year’s Honours. She was appointed an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for her Services to Recycling and to the Environment.  Recently BIR leadership has endorsed her nomination to become the next president of the Bureau of International Recycling. This is the first time a woman has been chosen to stand for election - a milestone in BIR’s 75 year history. 

Traditionally and often still today, recycling is seen as a predominantly male industry, but women are slowly becoming more visible and taking their places at boardroom tables, she says, adding, “As a female working in our industry, you need to be passionate, dedicated and incredibly hard working. If you work hard and earn your seat you will, in my experience, be treated with respect and welcomed by your male colleagues.”