Calling all Students - Win $500 for Your School in the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge - Registration now open for the fifth annual Waste Reduction Week in Canada Contest

OTTAWA, Oct. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Recycle My Cell, Canada's recycling program for mobile devices and accessories, announced today that registration for the fifth annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is now open. Canadian students from kindergarten to post secondary are challenged to recycle as many old wireless devices and accessories as possible between October 20 and November 21, 2014. In addition to doing a good thing for the environment, students could also win $500 for their school to use for green initiatives.

As the national sponsor of Waste Reduction Week in Canada, held from October 20 to 26, Recycle My Cell will kick off the Student Challenge on October 20. The Challenge, running until November 21, 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. As a participation prize, eligible schools will receive $1 for every phone they collect and recycle through Recycle My Cell (up to a maximum of $1,000^*). 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 21, participating schools can drop off their boxes at any Canada Post location for free shipping.

"I continue to be amazed by the enthusiasm of Canada's young people when it comes to respecting the environment," said Bernard Lord, President and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). "These leaders of tomorrow should be congratulated for their efforts in making responsible e-waste management a top priority."

More than 140 Canadian schools from across the country participated in the 2013 edition of the Challenge, and they collected more than 3,500 wireless devices along with some 200 kilograms of wireless accessories and batteries

"Waste Reduction Week in Canada is a national awareness campaign that engages Canadians to reduce their waste by making simple, everyday choices that use the 3Rs," said Jo-Anne St. Godard, Chair of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. "With the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge, we use cell phones and accessories as an example of how we can improve our recycling away from home and beyond the blue box. Proper management of electronics waste is critical, and the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge empowers youth to be part of the solution."

The Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is made possible by the generous support of the Recycle My Cell Partners: Bell, BlackBerry, Eastlink, GEEP Inc., Google, GREENTEC, LG Electronics Canada, Inc., Lynx Mobility, Microsoft, MTS, ProMobility, Rogers Communications, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., SaskTel, Sony of Canada, Tbaytel, TELUS, Videotron, and Virgin Mobile Canada.

* Complete Rules and Terms & Conditions of the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge are available at: http://www.wrwcanada.com/recycle_my_cell.

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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

Marc Choma, 613-233-4888 ext. 207, [email protected]