News & Media

Global Changes in supply and demand for mercury

With the introduction of the Minamata convention there is a need to understand the global changes in supply and demand for mercury. Current estimates suggest a downward trend in both supply and demand. The supply of mercury from primary mining has not decreased as much as initially expected. Indeed, mercury recovery from by-products of nonferrous production has not yet been implemented extensively. Currently Japan’s small amount of mercury is exported after being refined. In response to an …

E-waste impact continues to grow

Without a doubt the impact of e-waste continues to grow with its significant impact on the environment. Indeed, only 12% of the nation’s computers are recycled. At this time, Australia is the fourth highest generator of e-waste per capita in the world. Poorly managed e-waste means heavy metals and hazardous waste such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants leak into the environment. Clearly, the risks of data leaks are also increased if the device’s storage aren't caref…

Managing Mercury Risk

Managing mercury risk is an important issue for many Australian industrial companies. Mercury causes very harmful and lasting health impacts due to its toxicity. The World Health Organisation ranks it in the top ten chemicals for public health concerns. The Minimata Convention, adopted in 2013 is a global health treaty. It was ratified by many countries to raise awareness, and control mercury supply and trade. Importantly, its aim was to reduce the use and release of mercury into the envir…

Recycling Safety a Priority at Ecocycle

US Federal data on recycling safety, shows the injury rate in the waste and recycling industry fell in 2021, reaching its lowest point since 2006. US Labor Statistics reveal that the injury and illness rate fell from 3.4 incidents per 100 full-time employees, to 2.2 incidents in 2021. Industry commentators feel these numbers reflect an historic improvement in worker safety in the solid waste industry.’ Definitive data for recycling is not available for Australia. However, the impact of C…

Mercury and the environment

Mercury and the environment - Mercury is the most hazardous metal on the EPA’s list of industrial pollutants. If not handled or recycled correctly it is a very potent neurotoxin to humans. The largest source of mercury pollution entering our landfills is from the dumping of mercury containing fluorescent tubes and HID lamps. Australians consume over 60 million fluorescent tubes and HID lamps every year. Only around 10% of these are recycled, with the balance being carelessly dumped into landfil…

Why schools play a vital role in teaching children about recycling

Our kids learn a lot of what they know at school, so there’s no better place to teach the next generation about the importance of recycling. Young people discover how to read, write, count and more at school, but recycling is one of the best lessons we can teach them. Recycling and sustainability are ideas that can be taught early on, whether it’s in a lesson plan or not. Encouraging youngsters to put paper, bottles and cans in the recycling bin can start a life-long journey of recyclin…

This is how recycling can save your business money

If your team cares about protecting the environment and lowering business costs, then an active recycling program for your workplace may be the answer. Recycling has become a serious agenda item for Australia’s business community, as regulations and public pressure mount on organisations to improve their environmental footprint. According to the HP Australia Environmental Sustainability Study 2018, 79 per cent of consumers believe companies and brands should be responsible for their impact…

Where can I recycle mercury?

Recycling mercury-containing items found around the home and workplace is good for the environment, so it’s vital to know where to recycle them in Australia. Mercury is used in many household items, including batteries, light bulbs, mobile phones, laptops and even dental fillings. Recycling mercury-containing products keeps items that have reached the end of their useful life away from landfill and protects the environment from mercury contamination outbreaks. Where can you recycle mercur…

How do I dispose of mercury?

Ordinary items like light bulbs, batteries and mobile phones contain toxic mercury, which can lead to serious health consequences unless it’s recycled. Fortunately, there are only small amounts of mercury in most everyday products, meaning they are safe to use at home and in the workplace. That said, mercury-containing waste like used batteries can produce health and environmental hazards if this waste is thrown in the general waste bin and makes its way to landfill. Recycling mercury-c…

How to dispose of and recycle mercury-containing waste

Mercury can have a catastrophic effect on human health and the environment when mercury-containing waste is dumped in landfill instead of being recycled. Mercury is found in plenty of everyday items from your ceiling lights to the batteries in household devices, and even in your dental fillings. But when things containing mercury reach the end of their useful life, it’s important to dispose of them responsibly rather than throwing them in the general waste bin or putting them in the cupboa…

Why are smart lights a better option for lighting?

Smart lights are changing our homes and workplaces for the better, using much less electricity and offering automation bonuses over traditional light bulbs. There has been a real buzz around smart lights, as one of the everyday items that most people can automate in their own home thanks to the rise of smart home technology. These internet-connected light emitting diode (LED) bulbs are great for managing your home and work lighting more efficiently, but they also have fun features like tur…

Fun facts: Why is recycling important?

Did you know Australians produce 1 tonne of plastic waste every minute but only 11.8% gets recycled? All of that unrecycled plastic, plus all the other types of waste out there, eventually ends up polluting our beloved beaches, parks and the great outdoors — something we all want to avoid. Recycling is one of the most effective ways you and your family can help protect the environment, whether it’s throwing a drink bottle in the recycling bin or taking an old laptop to your council drop-of…

Illegal gold mining in Peru results in devastating environmental impacts

The Peruvian government is tackling illegal gold mining deep in the Amazon, where deforestation, mercury contamination and human trafficking have proliferated. For years, miners have defied authorities and unlawfully extracted gold from alluvial deposits in riverbeds, driven by high prices paid for the precious metal. In February, government authorities deployed hundreds of police officers and soldiers to the Madre de Dios region, in southeast Peru, to close down the illicit trade. Whil…

5 benefits of recycling mercury-containing waste

Recycling mercury-containing waste goes a long way in protecting the environment, but did you know that there are additional benefits? Mercury is found in some surprising places around the home and workplace, including batteries, lighting, computers, televisions and even teeth fillings. While the mercury in these products are safely contained for everyday use, even a small amount of the toxic material can have a destructive impact when it is dumped in landfill. The mercury-recycling mov…

Why is recycling important for the future?

Recycling is one of the most important ways to protect the environment, reducing waste bound for landfill and reusing non-renewable materials. As a society, we buy more food, clothes and other products than ever before, creating huge amounts of rubbish as a result. Australia faces a serious waste challenge, generating an estimated 67 million tonnes of waste in 2016, according to the latest official figures. That’s a whopping 2.7 tonnes of waste per capita each year. But we are also r…

Large companies’ recycling efforts could spur small businesses to follow

What do manufacturing and retailing giants Unilever, Renault, Nike and H&M have in common? They are all actively engaged in lifting the recycling rates of the products they sell, and the phrase ‘circular economy’ is on their corporate lips as they work to reduce their impacts on the environment. Unilever aims to shift to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025, to recover more of its own packaging from consumers, and to increase the level of recycled plastic in its packaging to 25%, also by …

Should Queensland introduce a state-wide waste levy?

Most states and territories in Australia charge a levy on the disposal of waste to landfill. The exceptions are Queensland and the Northern Territory. The purpose of the levies is to make it relatively more expensive to dump waste in landfill, and relatively cheaper to recycle. The levies also allow governments to provide grants to the recycling industry, allowing greater investment in new recycling facilities. The downside of landfill levies is that they have been associated with an in…

Why it’s so important to recycle mercury thermostats

US leads the way In 1998 several American thermostat manufacturers established a non-profit stewardship program called the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC). In total, it has collected 2.1 million thermostats containing 10 tons (9.1 tonnes) of mercury. “Logistically, the TRC model works in a similar way to our lamp and battery recycling programs so it’s something we could replicate quite easily,” Mr Moyle said. “We will be talking to state governments and the HVAC (heating, ventilati…

Another company falsely touted as ‘Australia’s only mercury treatment plant’

Another company has falsely claimed it is Australia’s only mercury treatment plant. In this Pilbara News article, New Zealand-based business Contract Resources has been touted as “Australia’s only mercury treatment plant” in an announcement that it will construct a LNG waste processing facility in Karratha, Western Australia. This comes after Dutch company BMT claimed it has no competitors in mercury treatment in Australia. Both companies overlook the fact that Ecocycle has been delivering…

What does China’s ban on foreign garbage mean for local recycling in Australia?

China’s campaign against foreign garbage has hit the Australian recycling industry hard. As part of the campaign, China has blocked the import of recyclable materials in which contaminants constitute more the 0.5% of the waste. This is an extremely tough target to meet and places an effective ban on sending recyclables, mostly paper and plastics, to China for processing. Australia is far from the only country affected. Europe, the UK and US have also relied on China to take materials ra…

GPS trackers reveal Australian e-waste is being sent to developing countries

When you drop off your old computer at a recycling centre, particularly one that is a member of a government-endorsed recycling program, you have every right to expect that your e-waste will be safely recycled. You should also be able to expect that most of the recycling will take place within Australia, in accord with international conventions. So how do we stack up? An investigation by the Basel Action Network (BAN) indicates we need to do better. Revealing where the e-waste landed BAN…

Certified destruction: How Ecocycle destroys personal information attached to items recycled

What happens to your data when you discard your old mobile phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer or memory card? With identity theft a major and growing problem it’s a question we all need to answer before deciding on a disposal method for any item that holds data. And remember, it isn’t enough just to delete files from computers and devices. With appropriate software these files can be recovered. As long as your old computers and phones remain intact, there’s a risk that your preciou…

How to choose the right recycling supplier for your business

As the concept of the circular economy becomes more mainstream, recycling is playing an increasingly important role in maximising the amount of ‘waste’ that is repurposed as a ‘resource’. The upshot? All businesses that produce any type of waste should be on the lookout for recycling opportunities. But with recycling solutions being developed for an increasing range of waste types, and with new providers popping up regularly, how do you choose the right recycler for your business? Here …

What’s the cost of not recycling in Australia?

China’s recent ban on importing many types of waste has highlighted major weaknesses in the way in which Australia and similar countries have approached recycling. Now it appears that the situation is twice as bad as originally thought. With China’s door closed and with other countries lacking sufficient recycling capacity, more than a million tonnes of metals, paper and plastics now need to be dealt with in Australia. We’re about to discover the many real costs of not recycling in Aust…

Minamata Convention On Mercury Comes Into Force

The Minamata Convention on Mercury has officially entered into force, 61 years after the first cases of what came to be known as Minamata disease were identified in the Japanese coastal city of the same name. The convention came into force on August 16, and the first conference of the parties will take place from September 24 to 29 in Geneva, Switzerland. The cause of the horrendous neurological symptoms was identified as mercury poisoning, as a chemical plant had been discharging large qu…

What’s a recycling certificate and what do I need it for?

A recycling certificate documents the amount and type of waste that your organisation has recycled. The certificate can be used to show that your company is compliant with government standards and recycling policies, and shows your commitment to sustainable business standards. Here are three ways in which recycling certificates can benefit your business: 1. Provide proof of compliance with government requirements Several state governments have implemented energy efficiency schemes. The V…

The Effects Of Mercury On Water

Mercury never goes away. It just gets moved around, changing from one chemical form to another, with water playing a major role in both the transport and transformation of mercury. Once mercury is released into waterways it can end up just about anywhere. Ocean currents can carry it around the world, it can evaporate into the atmosphere, and be deposited back into the oceans or onto land. Water also plays an essential role in the transformation of metallic mercury into its far more dang…

Mercury study finds safer way for small-scale miners to extract gold

Artisanal or small-scale gold miners frequently use mercury in their gold extraction process. The gold-mercury mix, or amalgam, is then heated, usually over an open flame, to vapourise the mercury and leave behind the purified gold. This a potentially deadly activity, with the miner breathing in mercury fumes and the rest settling on and contaminating the surrounding soil and getting flushed into waterways. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) alone, tens of thousands of people make a living from …

How does Ecocycle collect, transport, store and recycle e-waste?

Ecocycle started life as a specialist recycler of mercury-containing waste – mostly dental waste and fluorescent lighting waste. To ensure safe handling of these hazardous materials we created an Australia-wide logistics network for collecting waste by the cardboard box load up to truckloads. With trucks already on the road it was a simple step to expand our collection to other types of related waste, such as batteries and more bulky e-waste including computers and televisions. Collecti…

How the money raised by waste levies should be spent

Most states and territories in Australia charge levies on waste that goes to landfill. The aim? Less waste to landfill and more to recycling. Naturally, one would expect the money raised by these levies to be used to support recycling, but that isn’t always (or even often) the case. Take Victoria as an example – the 2017 State Budget papers showed the state raised $200 million in waste levies. That could have given a huge boost to recycling, but instead most of the money was spent on timbe…

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