6 things that medical (and dental) clinics can recycle
Medical clinics are dedicated to improving health, but in the process they sometimes need to use items that contain hazardous materials. It’s therefore critical that health facilities understand what the hazards are, and ensure that they are managed in a safe way. Front of mind will be things like sharps and potentially infectious materials, but […]
How FluoroCycle and Ecocycle are recycling mercury lights in Australia
Mercury that accumulates in landfill can be extremely damaging – it converts to toxic methylmercury and extends to the wider environment through air, water and soil. And one of the biggest culprits of contributing mercury to landfill is fluorescent lighting. Even though the mercury within a single fluorescent tube is minimal and unlikely to cause […]
How to recycle thermostats, thermometers and sphygmomanometers
When you last had your blood pressure measured, how was it done? Automatic, digital devices are increasingly taking over this task but there are still large numbers of old sphygmomanometers (that’s what devices used to measure blood pressure are called) doing good service in medical clinics and hospitals around the world. Many of these older […]
Lessons learned from old landfills: Why we need to recycle
Unlike true love, rubbish dumps don’t last forever. However, some of their contents do, and when a landfill starts to leak or erode, nasty stuff can make it out into the wider environment and become impossible to contain. In Victoria alone, dozens of old landfills are already suspected of leaking toxic materials into soil and […]
Ecocycle named finalist in Hume Business Awards 2016
We are pleased to share that Ecocycle was selected as a finalist in the Hume City Council Business Awards 2016, held on December 8. Ecocycle was recognised for their sustainability practices within the municipality. The awards recognise and acknowledge businesses from Hume City for their excellence and for the significant contribution they make to the local […]
How hospitals can drive recycling programs
Hospitals are among our most important institutions, but in working to restore and maintain health, they create large amounts of waste. In Victoria, public hospitals produce as much waste as 200,000 households. Add in private hospitals and the sector, in just one state, generates as much waste as a medium-sized city. Natural leaders Hospitals need […]
Five ways recycling can boost your business
Research by the NSW EPA into the waste and recycling activities and attitudes of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reveals that businesses recognise a number of benefits of recycling. According to the Business Recycling/Planet Ark report, understanding the attitudes towards waste and recycling was vital in determining how to reduce the large volumes of waste […]
Could dentists be Australia’s biggest mercury polluters?
Last year a major water utility was outed as Australia’s biggest dumper of mercury. In the course of one year it discharged 40kg of mercury waste into the sea from its outfall pipes at Manly and Malabar in New South Wales. Earlier, it had been discovered that sharks caught off the NSW coast contained high […]
How workplace recycling can save your business money
Running an active recycling program in your workplace will not only help to reduce your impact on the environment, it can save your business money too. According to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, improving resource efficiency in your business can help it to save money, improve occupational health and safety management, enhance shareholder relations […]
New truck to collect and transfer materials for recycling
We’ve acquired a new, custom-built truck at Ecocycle. The truck, which is currently being used in Western Australia, will collect materials for recycling and safely transport them to our recycling facility. We’ll be looking to roll out more trucks across the country in the future.
Gold and mercury: A lethal mix
We’ve known for at least 200 years that mercury is a poisonous metal that causes horrific health problems, and even death. Yet, this critical information isn’t being made available to many of the people who are exposed to the highest levels of mercury. Artisanal gold miners, often poor and operating illegally, use mercury to separate […]
How EXITCYCLE and Ecocycle are recycling batteries from building exit signs
Illuminated exit signs are a critical safety feature of most commercial buildings. If the power goes out or in an emergency, the light from these signs may truly be a lifesaver. However, emergency and exit lighting does have a dark side. About 90% of the batteries that power these lights are nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), meaning […]
How social media is changing the face of recycling
Be genuine One thing to pay attention to: not only are millennials monitoring the messages put out by companies; social media provides access to information from insiders and environmental organisations. Unlike traditional media, social media operates in two directions. Users can ask questions, seek recommendations and get answers like never before, and any hint of […]
Indian board directed to dispose of compact fluorescent lamps responsibly
An Indian NGO, Toxic Links, has had success in its efforts to tackle mercury pollution from lighting waste. Presenting a case to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Toxic Links contended that current treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) were not adequately equipped to deal with compact fluorescent lamps and other mercury bearing lighting. The result […]
Why it’s important to have and maintain an amalgam separator
Amalgam separators are simple, non-mechanical devices that sit within the drainage systems of dental practices. As their name implies, the purpose of an amalgam separator is to trap waste dental amalgam and separate it from wastewater that can then be safely discharged to the sewers. With mercury contamination a big enough problem to give rise […]
Why is Aussie mercury waste being sent overseas?
Are you an Australian business looking to recycle mercury locally? As Australia’s largest and most experienced recycler of mercury, Ecocycle is ideally placed to help local resource companies develop transparent, effective and safe solutions for handling mercury-contaminated waste. Would you like to know more? Call us on 1300 32 62 92, or fill out the form […]
How to convince your boss to get on board with workplace recycling
Many people think that the sole purpose of a business is to make money for its owners, and that anything that gets in the way of this goal, such as spending money on non-compulsory workplace recycling efforts, should be ignored. If that sounds like the attitude of your boss, here are some tips on how […]
Recycle locally and reduce the carbon footprint of your company
You’ve probably heard of ‘food miles’ – the idea that transporting food over long distances gives it a huge carbon footprint relative to locally produced food. Those out of season Californian grapes and Peruvian asparagus spears may be delicious but they come with much bigger clouds of carbon dioxide emissions than locally grown, in-season produce. […]
What can Australian warehouses and factories recycle?
Industrial equipment A range of industrial equipment from transformers through to thermostats can potentially contain mercury, and therefore need to be disposed of safely. Depending on the size and nature of the equipment, specialist help may be required to assess the risks and to design effective solutions. Batteries Batteries, including tiny button cells and batteries […]
5 waste management tips for sports clubs and recreational centres
Sports clubs and recreational facilities are all about promoting health. And sport and exercise aren’t just about physical fitness: they also provide important psychological and social benefits. So, with all this focus on creating wellbeing, it would be a real tragedy if sports clubs and recreational centres undid some of that good work by contributing […]
