A Bury recycling company will embark on a nine-day cycle ride to Belgium to commemorate a milestone in waste disposal history. 

REPIC, the UK's leading waste electrical producer compliance scheme, has announced its Two Decade Tour (TDT), a momentous cycling event from its headquarters in Bury to Brussels, the birthplace of the European Waste Electrical, Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.

The gruelling 565 mile journey marks the 20th anniversary of REPIC, which was established in 2004 by leading household electrical producers in the UK, with a mission to navigate the complexities of producer responsibility together and provide the producer community with a collective voice in discussions on advancing environmental regulations and practices.

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The Two Decade Tour, departing on Thursday, June 13, will commemorate a remarkable milestone in the history of REPIC, with each stage of the journey serving as a tribute to the collaborative progress made by the WEEE scheme’s producer members' journey towards a circular economy.

As the cyclists pedal through picturesque landscapes and pass historical landmarks, the event will also serve as a celebration of the efforts, dedication, and excellence of every member of Team REPIC, past and present, who have contributed to the organisation's success over the past two decades.

Along the route, employees of REPIC will be joined by invited guests, symbolising the spirit of collaboration and camaraderie that has fuelled the success of REPIC.

Non-riding REPIC staff will also be undertaking WEEE amnesty collection events at selected producer locations along the way.

The journey will culminate in Brussels, where representatives from REPIC and guests will engage with stakeholders and policymakers, reaffirming the scheme’s dedication to delivering European WEEE compliance for its members and advancing environmental regulations and practices across the UK and Europe.

In addition to the Two Decade Tour, REPIC will host a special annual general meeting (AGM) at the historic Kew Gardens in July.

The AGM will provide an opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and strategic planning as REPIC charts its course for the next 20 years.

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Graeme Milne, the newly appointed chief executive of REPIC, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming events.

He said: "The Two Decade Tour and our AGM at Kew Gardens are fantastic opportunities to both celebrate our journey thus far and also plan for the road ahead.

"Collaboration has been and will continue to be the key to our success.

"REPIC is excited to build on this foundation this year, driving towards a future, where producers and recyclers are working much more closely together and further innovations and achievements arise from our united efforts to create a more sustainable future.”

The sector can follow the progress of the cyclists throughout the nine-day event by visiting repic.co.uk for live updates and exclusive behind the scenes content.