Students Recycle 1.5 Million Batteries and save valuable materials from landfill

Students across Ireland saved the equivalent of 1.5 million AA batteries from landfill last school year – the weight of close to four school buses – with one small school collecting nearly 2,000 AA batteries per person.

Cloonfour National School in Roscommon, with just 40 pupils, proved that even the smallest schools can make a massive impact as they rallied their families and community to collect used batteries for recycling and win their category in the national WEEE Ireland Schools Battery Recycling Competition.

Other winning schools hailed from Galway, Carlow, Roscommon, Waterford and Donegal, with each awarded a €2,000 sports voucher for their efforts.

This year’s competition launches as the new EU Batteries Regulation come into full effect, bringing higher waste battery collection, recycling and recovery targets.

WEEE Ireland is calling on schools, families, and communities nationwide to get involved by gathering used batteries for recycling and help Ireland meet these ambitious goals – while supporting environmental protection and the programme’s charity partner LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.

The competition is open to all primary and secondary schools in WEEE Ireland’s battery recycling counties that collect at least 10 full 5kg battery boxes.

“The new EU Batteries Regulation raises the bar for all of us, and schools across Ireland are proving they are ready to meet that challenge,” said Elizabeth O’Reilly, Head of Environmental Compliance at WEEE Ireland.

“The incredible efforts of students, teachers, families and local communities will help ensure we meet the minimum recovery targets for materials like cobalt, copper, lead, lithium, and nickel. This ensures these materials are recaptured for use again in manufacturing, as part of a more sustainable and circular battery economy.

“Every year we see how collective action can achieve real results – and even the smallest schools, like Cloonfour National School, can make an outsized contribution.”

Expressing her gratitude, Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn said: “The funds we have received from WEEE Ireland as a result of battery recycling programme over the last 14 years of this partnership have had such a positive impact on the children and families who avail of LauraLynn’s specialised care and supports all across Ireland.

“This year’s donation brings the total fundraising to an incredible €610,000.  LauraLynn would also like to say a huge thank you WEEE Ireland for the support across this campaign over the last number of years and to everyone who took the time to recycle their batteries.

“It may seem like something small, but for the children and families who rely on LauraLynn, and for the environment, it is huge and very impactful.”

Schools can find more information and order free WEEE Ireland Blue Battery Boxes at www.weeeireland.ie.

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