PRESS RELEASE: 15,000 bikes recycled by Sydney social enterprise

The recovery, recycling and reuse of bicycles and other personal transport vehicles (PTVs) in Sydney today reached an unprecedented milestone with 15,000 units diverted from landfill by social enterprise Revolve ReCYCLING.
The diversion of 15,000 bikes and PTV units from landfill for recycling and/or reuse could not have happened without the help of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) who gave the startup a Bin Trim Networks Program grant of $500,000 in 2023.
Around 4,000 bicycles have since been refurbished, saving an estimated 500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. The vehicles are now being reused, either as affordable bikes or as bikes given away by the Revolve ReCYCLING Foundation for free to disadvantaged kids.
The milestone was marked by a tour of Revolve ReCYCLING’s facility on World Social Enterprise Day, November 20th, by NSW EPA Chief Executive, Tony Chappel.
Mr Chappel said it was great news to see this reuse success story, which has diverted approximately 200 tonnes of waste from landfill.
“If these 15,000 bicycles and other transport units were lined up from end-to-end, they would cover the distance from the Sydney Opera House to the EPA’s offices in Parramatta or some 27 kilometers,” Mr Chappel said.
“We welcome the work of Revolve ReCYCLING in diverting bicycles and other transport vehicles from landfill and into recycling and reuse. It goes to show how sustainability startups, working with the NSW Government, are helping us drive a circular economy here in New South Wales.”
Revolve ReCYCLING was founded in 2022 by long-time resource recovery activist Pete Shmigel with Guido Verbist, formerly reuse innovator of The Bower, as General Manager. It is based in Alexandria at a facility donated by Bingo Industries.
Revolve ReCYCLING received a grant from the EPA’s Bin Trim Networks Program in 2023 which allowed them to scale up their Green Wheels waste minimisation initiative, working with many of Sydney’s bicycle shops to prevent thousands of bicycles, bike tyre rubber, batteries and e-waste from going to landfill.
“Recovering, refurbishing and reusing PTVs is an example of how sustainability truly hits the road,” Mr Verbist said. “It delivers environmental benefits such as landfill diversion, greenhouse gas abatement and sustainable transport.
“Further to this, there are also social benefits, such as increasing access to bikes for price-conscious adults and deserving, disadvantaged kids.”