Registration for Waste Reduction Week in Canada's Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is Now Open
OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2013 /CNW/ - Recycle My Cell, Canada's recycling program for mobile devices and accessories, announced today that registration for the fourth annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is now open. The Challenge calls on all students from K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions across Canada to collect old wireless devices, including cell phones, smartphones, wireless PDAs, pagers, accessories and cell phone batteries for a chance to win prize money for their school to be used towards environmental initiatives.
As the national sponsor of Waste Reduction Week in Canada, Recycle My Cell will kick off the Student Challenge on October 21, 2013. Running until November 22, 2013, the Challenge will see thousands of Canadian students helping to reduce the amount of e-waste that goes into Canadian landfills, and also raise awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling.
The school in each province and territory that collects the most cell phones (based on school population) will be awarded $500 to be used towards a school environmental project. All schools and post-secondary institutions can register at http://www.wrwcanada.com/recycle_my_cell. Recycle My Cell will provide everything needed to easily set up a Recycle My Cell collection site. Upon closing of the Challenge on November 22, participating schools can drop off their boxes at any Canada Post location for free shipping.
"The response to the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge over the past four years has been incredible," said Bernard Lord, President and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). "Canadian youth are to be commended for their exceptional environmental leadership skills that will have a lasting effect for generations to come."
Last year, more than 4,000 cell phones and more than 270 kilograms of wireless accessories and batteries were collected through the Challenge.
"Waste Reduction Week in Canada is about building awareness around consumer behaviour, sustainable consumption, and waste reduction," said Jo-Anne St. Godard, Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Ontario and spokesperson for Waste Reduction Week in Canada. "With more than 27 million Canadians acquiring a new cell phone every two-and-a-half years, this program provides an important call to action that ensures every device is reused or properly recycled."
The Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is made possible by the generous support of the Recycle My Cell Partners: Bell, BlackBerry, Eastlink, GEEP Inc., GREENTEC, LG Electronics Canada, Inc., Lynx Mobility, Motorola Mobility, MTS, Nokia, Rogers Communications, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., SaskTel, Sims Recycling Solutions, Sony Mobile Communications, TBayTel, TELUS, Videotron, and Virgin Mobile Canada.
About Recycle My Cell
Recycle My Cell is Canada's national recycling program for mobile phones and accessories. The bilingual Web site - www.RecycleMyCell.ca and www.recyclemoncell.ca - allows consumers to simply enter their postal code to locate the 10 drop-off locations closest to them where their devices will be accepted, regardless of brand or condition. The free program is run by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), in conjunction with cell phone carriers, handset manufacturers and approved processors, who have come together to raise awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling.
About Waste Reduction Week in Canada
Waste Reduction Week in Canada was developed in 2001 by a coalition of 13 recycling councils and sister organizations from across Canada and is delivered each October by the same group. The program's goal is to inform Canadians about the environmental and social ramifications of wasteful practices. Waste Reduction Week in Canada uses its "take action" messaging to empower all Canadians to adopt more environmentally conscious choices, and provide them with information and ideas to reduce waste in all facets of daily living, creating solutions to the many environmental challenges we face. Learn more at www.wrwcanada.com.
SOURCE: Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Ashlee Smith
613-233-4888 ext. 227
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