Reverse logistics: solutions for end-of-life products

Ecycle Solutions leads the way in innovative recycling solutions for Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) waste, battery recycling and e-waste in Australia, providing the general public and small business’ with a FREE collection & recycling solution for their end-of-life televisions and computers (e-waste) as part of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), whilst recycling non-contaminated EPS and end-of-life batteries.

As Australia’s largest NTCRS Co-Regulator, Ecycle Solutions offers the general public and small business’ an avenue to recycle their end-of-life products through its 300+ permanent collection locations, which resulted in over 16,900 tonnes of e-waste being recycled in 2020/2021. This recycled e-waste has helped to achieve a recovery of more than 90% of reusable materials, equating to 16,300 tonnes being utilised as raw material to manufacture finished goods.

Ecycle Solutions is passionate about improving Australia’s environmental footprint offering a free e-waste collection service. Partnering with some of Australia’s largest electrical retailers, such as Harvey Norman, Betta Home & Living, Good Guys and JB Hi-Fi, it offers an extensive network of easily accessible drop off locations for the disposal of e-waste without any commitment to purchase in store.

All brands and models of compliant e-waste are accepted as part of the program, such as TVs, computers, laptops, printers, hard drives, keyboards & computer peripherals, and working closely with certified recyclers, all collected items are destroyed responsibly and securely, ensuring consumer confidence.

Since its inception in 2012 Ecycle Solutions has grown and increased its recycling service to include expanded polystyrene (EPS), and as of January this year, now includes the collection of end-of-life batteries.

EPS packaging is a lightweight, rigid, cost-effective packaging solution that can take in excess of 700 years to break down. As Australia’s largest recycler of EPS, Ecycle Solutions is a ‘one stop shop’ for the collection and recycling EPS.

Through hot press extrusion, the collected EPS is recycled and then repurposed into a range of household items such as outdoor furniture, picture frames, skirting boards, just to name a few. Annually, Ecycle Solutions collects and recycles enough EPS to fill the Sydney Cricket Ground, diverting this waste stream from landfill.

In January 2022 Ecycle Solutions was appointed as an Accredited collector for the Battery Stewardship Scheme (B-cycle). The Battery Stewardship is an industry-led initiative providing a free battery collection and recycling service to all Australians.

Australia imports approximately 17,500 tonnes of batteries every year with less than 10% of household batteries currently being recycled, where most end up in landfill. The Battery Stewardship Scheme is focused on reducing the number of batteries that go into landfill, by recycling and repurposing the reusable materials, and ultimately reducing the reliance on non-renewable resources.

Working together with Lions Australia, Ecycle Solutions will facilitate the collection of household batteries from all 1200 Lions Clubs nationally. The rebate received by Lions as part of the B-cycle scheme will be used to fund local community projects.

Ecycle Solutions is excited to extend their recycling services to include the collection of batteries and provide the public with another avenue to recycle end-of-life products into reusable materials and reduce the use of non-renewable resources.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of the QLS Group, Ecycle Solutions has a unique competitive advantage through utilising reverse logistics when it comes to recycling, whereby we can service Regional & Remote locations better than our competitors.

To find out more about Ecycle Solutions’ recycling solution contact Chris Tangey, General Manager on +61 419 510 596.