Fluoro-light recyclers recognised

A number of Victorian organisations were today recognised for their participation in the fluoro-light recycling program FluoroCycle, which ensures harmful mercury is kept out of the environment.

The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, presented certificates to major Victorian-based institutions and companies including National Australia Bank, the Malthouse Theatre, CitiPower and Powercor, RMIT University, University of Melbourne and Transurban.

“FluoroCycle has the very important aim of reducing the amount of mercury entering the environment from the disposal of mercury-containing lighting,” Rishworth said.

FluoroCycle is delivered by Lighting Council Australia and the Australian Government on behalf of the Australian, state and territory environment ministers. It is a priority initiative under Australia’s National Waste Policy.

Almost 200 organisations around Australia, including 52 from Victoria, have signed up to the scheme.

The Malthouse Theatre was today recognised as the longest standing Commercial User Signatory to FluoroCycle, having signed up in September 2010. Commercial User Signatories commit to recycling 100% of their waste mercury-containing lamps.

RMIT was the first university to sign on to the scheme in 2010, with the University of Melbourne following close behind it in 2011.

“Both of these respected Melbourne institutions have a longstanding and commendable commitment to FluoroCycle as part of their broader sustainability policies,” said Rishworth.

“It is particularly important that younger Australians have exposure to sustainable practices and these two universities are providing this through their commitment to schemes such as FluoroCycle.”

Rishworth said the Australian Government particularly welcomed the participation of electricity distributors CitiPower and Powercor in the scheme.

“Together these utilities service 185,000 street lights for 49 municipal councils and VicRoads. Every year, they replace and recycle 35,000 street lamps,” said Rishworth.

“Not only does this sector use a large number of mercury-containing lamps, each lamp can contain up to 200 mg of mercury - more than 10 times the amount found in a fluorescent light in a typical office building.

“With these utilities, along with four others around Australia, now committed to recycling 100% of waste lamps, a significant amount of mercury is being diverted from landfill.”

Toll road developer Transurban is a facilitator for the scheme, promoting FluoroCycle to its suppliers, customers, operators and landlords.

Today’s event was hosted by National Australia Bank, which has been committed to FluoroCycle since June 2011.