Ward Petherbridge with a new Toyota

An environmental entrepreneur operating some of Victoria's largest recycling businesses has unlocked the economic potential of Toyota electric forklifts by charging them with solar electricity.

Operating from Dandenong South, Victoria, Smart Recycling and its associated businesses annually divert over 50,000 T of waste from landfill and is one of the state's largest timber pallet recyclers.

Smart Recycling managing director Ward Petherbridge says his business started transitioning from diesel-powered forklifts to a fleet of Toyota electric-engined equivalents after entering a business founded by his father, Geoff Petherbridge, who formerly operated a sand pit and solid waste tip on the present site.

Smart Recycling has four Toyota 8FBN 2.5 T electric forklifts and is about to add another to its fleet.

The site's former business relied exclusively on diesel-powered forklifts but after installing a massive solar-system on the depot roof, Petherbridge intended to harness its economic potential by switching to battery-powered Toyota forklifts.

"With our transition from diesel to electric Toyota forklifts we are saving a good $100 per week, per machine on fuel. That really adds up as savings," says Petherbridge.

Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) area sales manager Grant Owen shares Petherbridge's commitment to reducing waste.

"Ward is naturally passionate about reducing environmental impacts through recycling and embracing technologies to do so. He's a champion of waste-minimisation and he's a natural forward-thinker. As such, he chooses the eco-friendliest equipment possible."

Owen adds that while some forklifts are built with planned obsolescence, Toyota Material Handling builds forklifts to last a very long time.