Ecocycle is making inroads with its vision to make Australia cleaner and is well placed to handle the growing e-waste recycling challenges that lie ahead.
Doug Rowe can draw on the experiences and learnings from a long line of overseas colleagues and recycling experts, but the Director of Ecocycle and Recycal has his sights set firmly on the future.
The experienced recycling specialist has spent years investing in research and development and new technology to keep the company one step ahead.
The hard yards put in by Doug and the team over the past few years gave rise to new facilities, programs, and public recognition. The company, with a footprint in each state, is well placed to handle the growing e-waste recycling challenges that lie ahead.
Doug says he’s keen to build on the momentum moving forward.
“We’re looking to invest in other state-of-the art facilities to ensure we have the very best of technology for the years ahead,” he says. “We also now have room to grow and employee the staff needed for the expansion we are experiencing.”
In August, Ecocycle said goodbye to the portable offices it had called home for two years and moved into purpose-built “green” headquarters in Campbellfield.
The two-storey building is a showcase of green technology and reflects the company’s ethos of recycle, reduce and reuse as it reinforces its resource recovery credentials.
To that end, Ecocycle is a partner of B-cycle, an industry-led product stewardship scheme run by the Battery Stewardship Council. Launched in January 2022, the scheme sets out to create a circular economy for batteries to ensure they don’t end up in landfill. Within the first six months, more than 900,000 kilograms of batteries were collected for recycling, with more than 3200 drop-off points established across eight states and territories, according to the B-cycle positive change report.
EcoBatt, the battery collection, sorting and processing side of the Ecocycle group, rolled out battery collection points in major supermarkets across Australia, including regional and remote areas.
“This means all of the Australian population has a local solution only a few minutes from their homes and businesses to recycle all of their old batteries,” Doug says.
“As a business that’s committed to servicing industry and protecting the environment, Ecocycle is proud to be part of the B-cycle initiative. It enables us to reduce our ecosystem’s exposure to toxic chemicals by diverting batteries from landfill, while recovering finite resources to ensure the future of Australia’s energy security.”
Ecocycle was also included in the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) from 1 July 2022. Doug says the inclusion is recognition of Ecocycle’s work in recycling flat panel displays.
Recycling flat panel displays has always posed a problem for e-waste recyclers because of the mercury in cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL), the light source for LCD screens. Ecocycle introduced Flat Panel Display (FPD) processing technology involving Artificial Intelligence and robotics.
“It’s time to start looking at e-waste as a source of valuable materials, rather than harmful toxic waste that is pushed around until it ends up in landfills,” Doug says. “Advanced robotic recycling technologies allow us to move away from the take-make-waste linear model to a circular economy.
“We have lots to learn as far as the NTCRS goes, but the services we can offer will be unique, and tailored to suit the needs of our clients.
“Staff will be trained and placed into this team to ensure we are covering the needs around Australia.”
In another move to cover the needs of Australia, Ecocycle added EcoPlastics to its recycling group, which aims to convert hard and soft plastics into plastic pellets which can be reused to make new products.
Doug says this addition to the group will also require a new team to sell the materials and develop new products to take to market.
“It’s a nice mix how we’ve vertically integrated everything into the business,” Doug says.
“We’ve created a place where people want to come and be part of that recycling story.
“We’ve put in so much investment and so much work. The years ahead will be positive ones for our group as we build a team of passionate, like-minded people committed to making a difference.”
For more information, visit: www.ecocycle.com.au
