Bingo has partnered with Revolve ReCYCLING, the first Australian organisation set up to specifically target bike waste, an increasingly problematic waste stream.
Guido Verbist, general manager Revolve ReCYCLING, estimates there are around 800,000 bikes sitting in homes around Australia, of which the vast majority would normally go to landfill.
“Our strategy is redeployment first, that is we fix and repair bikes so they can be enjoyed by new owners. For bikes that we can’t redeploy, we pull them apart for spare parts and then send the separate components to recycling facilities.
“We set up Revolve Revolve ReCYCLING because we believe diverting old bikes from landfill is the right thing to do from an environmental perspective and it can be financially self-sufficient and economically sustainable,” he said.
As part of Revolve’s business model, there are designated employment opportunities for vulnerable community members, including long-term unemployed and people living with a disability.
Bingo has been providing space at its Alexandria recycling centre for the past three months, to support the growth and operations of the social enterprise.
In that time, Revolve has collected more than 2000 bicycles, many of which have been repaired and resold, pulled apart for spares and recycled.
“With Bingo’s support, we have been able to upscale our operations and increase the volume of bikes we can store, collect and recycle,” Verbist said.
Children’s bikes are donated to charities providing bikes and toys to children in need. Refurbished bikes can also be viewed and purchased through Revolve’s online store.
Supporting Revolve ReCYCLING is part of Bingo’s Sustainability and GO Giving program of works to give back to community and support the recovery of problematic waste streams.
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