Canadian Schools Win Big for the Environment with the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge

Winners of the 4^th Annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge Announced

OTTAWA, Feb. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - Recycle My Cell, Canada's national recycling program for mobile phones and accessories, announced today the winners of the fourth annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge. In collaboration with the 2013 Waste Reduction Week in Canada, the Challenge invited students from kindergarten to post-secondary to collect as many old wireless devices as possible, including cell phones, smartphones, wireless PDAs, pagers, accessories and cell phone batteries.

More than 140 Canadian schools from across the country participated in the 2013 edition of the Challenge, which was held from October 21 to November 22. The schools collected more than 3,500 wireless devices along with some 200 kilograms of wireless accessories and batteries. The school that collected the most wireless devices in each participating province and territory, based on student population, will receive a $500 donation to support the school's green initiatives.

"Every year, hundreds of Canadian students show their commitment to the environment through the Recycle My Cell Student Challenge," said Bernard Lord, President & CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). "Understanding how a little effort today goes a long way to protect the environment for future generations is an important example for all Canadians, and we should applaud the vision and leadership of these students."

"The partnership between Waste Reduction Week in Canada and Recycle My Cell grows awareness about the importance of waste reduction and recycling. The results of the Challenge demonstrate how individual efforts, measured collectively, have a significant impact on our environment," said Jo-Anne St. Godard, Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Ontario. "More than 180,000 students participated in the 2013 Recycle My Cell Student Challenge - our best year ever! We look forward to what 2014 will bring."

The winning schools in the 2013 Recycle My Cell Student Challenge are:

Alice Jamieson Girls' Academy, Calgary, Alberta
Birchwood Intermediate School, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Donald Fraser Memorial School, Plaster Rock, New Brunswick
École Saint-Benoît, Montreal, Quebec
Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
Kimberley Independent School, Kimberley, British Columbia
Long Island Academy, Beaumont, Newfoundland and Labrador
Marysville Public School, Wolfe Island, Ontario
Princess Alexandra School, Hay River, Northwest Territories
St. Alphonsus Catholic School, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
Sun Valley School, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Takhini Elementary School, Whitehorse, Yukon
West Hants Education Centre, Windsor, Nova Scotia

Recycle My Cell thanks all of the schools that participated in the 2013 Challenge. For information about future Challenges, please contact [email protected]. If you are interested in hosting a year-round Recycle My Cell collection site in your community, please visit http://www.recyclemycell.ca/host-a-drop-off-location.

Recycle My Cell is made possible with participation from: Bell, BlackBerry, Eastlink, GEEP Inc., GREENTEC, LG Electronics Canada, Inc., Lynx Mobility, MTS, Nokia, ProMobility, Rogers Communications, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., SaskTel, Sims Recycling Solutions, Sony of Canada, 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 (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. Learn more at www.wrwcanada.com.

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SOURCE: Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association

For further information:

Media information and interview opportunities:
Ashlee Smith, CWTA
613-233-4888 ext. 227
[email protected]