Cornwall, May 9, 2023 – Call2Recycle and Earth Rangers are delighted to announce the results of the 2022 edition of the Battery Blitz collection contest in Prince Edward Island. The results were announced during a ceremony on May 9 at Eliot River Elementary School in Cornwall, with the presence and support of local MLA and provincial Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane.
Since 2015, Call2Recycle and Earth Rangers have partnered in several provinces to educate young Canadians about the importance of battery recycling. The Battery Blitz contest, organized twice a year with elementary schools across Canada, encourages students to collect as many used batteries as possible over the contest period. Through this initiative, students can form lifelong habits and play a positive role in managing their environment.
In 2022, students participating in the PEI Battery Blitz contest were able to collect over 8,600 kgs of used batteries. The top three schools will receive monetary prizes towards educational materials, experiences, or technology:
- 1st place ($3,000 prize): Eliot River Elementary for collecting 3,082 kgs of batteries. Eliot River Elementary has been the champion of battery recycling in the Battery Blitz contest since 2020.
- 2nd place ($2,000 prize): West Royalty Elementary for collecting 2,222 kgs of batteries.
- 3rd place ($1,000 prize): Somerset Consolidated for collecting 878 kgs of batteries.
“This amazing effort by our students is making a difference for our environment today and for the future by showcasing the importance of diverting batteries from our landfills,” said PEI Minister of Health and Wellness and local MLA Mark McLane. “Congratulations to all the students and volunteers involved.”
“Participating in the battery challenge over the last few years has been a wonderful community-building experience for our school,” said Terra Doucette, Principal of Eliot River Elementary School. “Not only does it educate and inspire our students to be active in supporting our environment and reducing hazardous materials entering our landfills, it also creates a leadership role for our students to help educate the greater public. The support of this initiative grows each year to include extended family, friends, local businesses and the greater community as a whole”.
“I want to thank the PEI students who participated in the contest for their enthusiasm and dedication to collecting and recycling batteries,” said Jon McQuaid, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Call2Recycle Canada. “Through their efforts and thanks to our partners at Earth Rangers, we continue diverting batteries from landfills and making an impact in fostering a clean and healthy environment for Islanders”.
“Based on our past experiences with PEI students who display such passion for the environment, it’s not surprising to see them continue to break records with their battery collection efforts,” said Tovah Barocas, President of Earth Rangers. “We’re incredibly proud and inspired by the efforts of these schools and can’t wait to launch this year’s campaign!”
Call2Recycle and Earth Rangers are now preparing for the 2023 edition of the contest, with over 14 PEI elementary schools expected to participate. Schools interested in signing up can contact Earth Rangers at [email protected].
Call2Recycle operates the official battery recycling program in the province, accepting all single-use and rechargeable batteries under 5 kgs. Call2Recycle is committed to continuously increasing the recovery of used batteries in Prince Edward Island in 2023 through its extensive collection and recycling network.
Used batteries can be dropped off in Prince Edward Island at an IWMC Waste Watch Drop-Off Centre or another Call2Recycle authorized collection drop-off site.
About Earth Rangers
Earth Rangers is the kids’ conservation organization, committed to instilling environmental knowledge, positivity, and the confidence to take action in children across North America. We do this through a suite of programming that is educational and engaging—but more importantly, our programs show children that it is not too late to help the planet, and the things we do today will matter tomorrow. Founded as a small community organization in Canada in 2004, Earth Rangers has since grown to be the largest youth environmental organization globally with over 325,000 members and alumni.
About Call2Recycle Canada, Inc.
Call2Recycle® is Canada’s leading organization for battery collection and recycling, fulfilling product stewardship obligations on behalf of over 400 members, including producers of single-use and rechargeable batteries. It is the provincially-approved consumer battery collection and recycling program for British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island, and operates as a registered Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in Ontario according to the Ontario Batteries Regulation. Call2Recycle accepts household batteries (weighing up to 5 kgs) for recycling and eTransport batteries used to power eBikes, eScooters, eSkateboards, Hoverboards and Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Since its inception in 1997, Call2Recycle has diverted almost 40 million kilograms of batteries from Canadian landfills. This reputation for excellence has enabled Call2Recycle to maintain trusted, long-term relationships with stakeholders and a network of more than 10,000 participating collection locations across Canada, including at leading retailers and municipal facilities.
Media Contact
Charles-Antoine Dubois, Bilingual Corporate Communications Manager, Call2Recycle
Email: [email protected], cell: 647-464-7381