Lighting upgrade company Ecovantage has selected Ecocycle as its exclusive recycling partner.
The agreement will see all lighting waste resulting from Ecovantage’s operations sent to Ecocycle for responsible recycling and mercury recovery.
Ecovantage operates in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Its primary activity is the creation of energy efficiency certificates under each state’s energy efficiency scheme through replacing existing lighting with more efficient LED lighting.
“In Victoria and New South Wales about 98% of our business comes from the commercial sector, with residential lighting replacement making up a larger proportion of our activity in South Australia,” said Ecovantage’s Victorian General Manager, Bob Hawker.
Most of the replaced lighting comprises fluorescent tubes and other mercury-halide lamps such as the high intensity lights used in warehouses and sports halls.
Ecovantage offers its clients a single-provider service, from supply and installation of lighting through creation and assignment of energy efficiency certificates (the value of which reduces the cost of the lighting upgrade).
In partnership with Ecocycle, recycling of all the waste is also safely taken care of.
As Australia’s most experienced mercury recycler and the only company licensed to handle the entire process of lighting recycling, Ecocycle proved a natural fit for Ecovantage. Both companies share a commitment to sustainability.
“Compliance and the environment are both extremely important to us,” said Mr Hawker, attributing this to Ecovantage’s founder and CEO being a “tree-hugger”.
Ecocycle’s National Sales Manager Tyson Ord said the partnership with Ecovantage helps to keep costs down.
“As in many areas, economies of scale are important,” he said, noting that last year Ecocycle recycled more than 11 tonnes of lighting waste from Ecovantage alone – a figure that is expected to grow.
The partnership between Ecovantage and Ecocycle, supported by the energy efficiency schemes implemented by some state governments, shows the effectiveness of cooperation within the commercial recycling industry, and between it and government.
With Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia showing what’s possible with energy efficiency and recycling, it paves the way for other state governments to implement similar schemes.
