Calling All Students to Step Up to the Challenge - Registration for Waste Reduction Week's Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is Now Open

OTTAWA, Sept. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Recycle My Cell, Canada's recycling program for mobile devices and accessories, has officially kicked off the third annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge. As the national sponsor of Waste Reduction Week in Canada (October 15-21), Recycle My Cell challenges all Canadian schools and post-secondary institutions to recycle as many old wireless devices as possible, including cell phones, smartphones, wireless PDAs, pagers, accessories and cell phone batteries.

The Challenge, running from October 15 to November 15, encourages students of all ages to participate and raise awareness about cell phone recycling and environmental stewardship. The school in each province and territory that collects the most cell phones, based on school population, will be awarded $500. The prize money will be used towards school environmental initiatives.

"We are very pleased to participate again this year in Waste Reduction Week as the national sponsor," said Bernard Lord, President and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). "The Recycle My Cell Student Challenge continues to be met with great enthusiasm by young Canadians from coast to coast."

The Recycle My Cell Student Challenge has been running in conjunction with Waste Reduction Week for the last three years with much success. Last year, 470 schools registered, collecting more than 6,200 devices and accessories.

"Recycle My Cell has been an important supporter of Waste Reduction Week in Canada", said Jo-Anne St. Godard, Chair of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. "The Challenge really helps young Canadians to understand the importance of safely recycling e-waste and provides an excellent opportunity to participate in Waste Reduction Week."

All schools and post-secondary institutions in each province and territory can register via http://www.wrwcanada.com. Recycle My Cell will provide the box needed to easily set up a Recycle My Cell collection site. Upon closing of the Challenge on November 15, 2012, participating schools will be able to arrange to have the phones picked up for processing for free.

The Recycle My Cell Student Challenge is made possible by the generous support of the Recycle My Cell Partners: Bell, Dell Canada Inc., Eastlink, GEEP Inc., GREENTEC, LG Electronics Canada Inc., Lynx Mobility, Mobilicity, Motorola Mobility, MTS, Nokia, Research In Motion, Rogers Communications, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., SaskTel, Sims Recycling Solutions, Sony Mobile Communications, TBayTel, TELUS, Videotron, Virgin Mobile Canada and WIND Mobile.

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 and handset manufacturers, who have come together to raise awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling.

About Waste Reduction Week in Canada
Waste Reduction Week (WRW) 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. WRW uses its "take action" messaging to empower all Canadians to adopt more environmentally-conscious choices. Waste Reduction Week provides Canadians with information and ideas to reduce waste in all facets of daily living, creating solutions to the many environmental challenges we face.

SOURCE: CANADIAN WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION

Media Information:
Ashlee Smith
613-233-4888 ext. 227
[email protected]