St Lorcan’s Boys National School in Palmerstown was recognised by WEEE Ireland’s Schools Battery Recycling Competition, with students winning a €2,000 sports voucher to commend their commitment to sustainability.
The boys’ school in Dublin was one of 81 schools that participated in the competition. Collectively, schools across the county saved thousands of a total of 173,450 used batteries from entering landfill.
Entering its 13th year, the nationwide recycling initiative resulted in the collection of the equivalent of 1.5 million AA batteries across the country from last October to March 2024.
This year, the initiative collected the weight of almost four school buses, all of which were recycled by both primary and secondary school students during the past year.
The competition returns this October for a new school year and is open to all primary and secondary schools in WEEE Ireland battery recycling counties that collect at least 10 full 5kg battery boxes.
TV and radio presenter Laura Woods launched this year’s campaign, which also supports LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, calling on schools and students across Ireland to register for the competition.
“A big congrats to St Lorcan’s for winning in their category, but also to every participating school. Their recycling efforts not only make a significant environmental impact but also provide essential support to LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice,” she said.
“Schools that engage in this important drive help rescue millions of batteries that might otherwise sit forgotten in drawers or old devices, ensuring their valuable materials can be recovered for reuse.”
St Lorcan’s was awarded a €2,000 sports voucher for its commitment to sustainability
The initiative hopes that by involving as many people as possible, including teachers, families, and the broader community, valuable materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper are recovered and reused, rather than lost to landfill.
“The new European Battery Regulations, applicable from earlier this year, introduce comprehensive rules to manage the entire lifecycle of batteries within the EU,” said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland.
“Minimum material recovery targets for materials like cobalt, lithium, and nickel will apply to various battery types, ensuring valuable materials are recaptured.
“These new targets will require increased participation in battery recycling across all sectors, so we’d urge even more to join the drive this year and make a real difference in saving materials that are increasingly in scarce supply,” he added.
The CEO of LauraLynn, Kerry McLaverty, also expressed her thanks, as each battery recycled through WEEE Ireland contributes to donation funds for the charity.
“The funds we have received from WEEE Ireland as a result of the battery campaign have had such a positive impact on the children and families who avail of LauraLynn’s care and specialised supports all across Ireland,” she said.
“This year’s donation brings the total fundraising to €590,575 – an incredible amount. WEEE Ireland has been partnering with and supporting us since day one, and we are grateful for their continued support as we grow our community of care and support more children and families than ever before.
“We’d also like to say a huge thank you 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,” she added.
