BatteryCycle

BATTERYCYCLE OTTAWA PILOT PROGRAM VIDEO LAUNCHED

Now that the spring program has been wrapped up, evaluated and reported upon, we're happy to share a 5-minute video with you, which summarizes the work done to date.

A warm thanks to everyone that contributed to this effort, produced by Gzowski Films. Thanks as well for everyone's hard work this spring and your enthusiasm throughout the campaign. This video clearly shows that we have something special here and all 11,000 of you have contributed to do your part to keep batteries out of our landfills!

OTTAWA STUDENTS COLLECT OVER 270,000 BATTERIES IN BATTERYCYCLE PILOT PROJECT

Ottawa - For immediate release

OTTAWA, June 19, 2009- During the month of May, students from 60 schools across Ottawa collected 8.5 tonnes of batteries (over 19,000 lbs) for recycling through a new pilot project called BATTERYCYCLE. The City-sponsored pilot project exceeded its planned target by 40,000 batteries, collecting approximately 270,000 batteries for recycling.

More than 9,000 participating Grade four to eight students from 60 schools were provided yellow BATTERYCYCLE buckets for a month in order to collect batteries from friends and family in their own homes. The batteries were all sent to a recycling facility in Port Colborne, Ontario where 100% of the battery material will be recovered.

"We are very proud of this program," said Councillor and Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee, Peter Hume. "We believe it will go a long way towards forming necessary environmental habits when dealing with used batteries."

To celebrate BATTERYCYCLE's success, the top collecting schools joined City staff and Council members at City Hall for an awards ceremony and pizza party sponsored by Gabriel Pizza.

"A huge congratulations goes out to all the teachers, parents and staff that participated, and especially to the students, for making this pilot such a big success," said Councillor Peggy Feltmate.

Environment Canada estimates that only 2% of household batteries are currently being recycled in Canada. When batteries aren't properly recycled they end up in landfills where they can create environmental problems that must be managed. Recycling batteries also recovers valuable resources that will be used in new products in place of mining new materials.

TOP COLLECTING SCHOOLS INCLUDE:

Overall Weight

Frank Ryan Catholic Senior Elementary School- GOLD (446.99 kg)

Mother Teresa High School- SILVER (419.43 kg)

Woodroffe Avenue Public School- SILVER (408.16 kg)

Weight per Student

Greely Elementary School- GOLD (3.57 kg/student participant)

Kars Public School- SILVER (3.26 kg/student participant)

Assumption Elementary School- SILVER (2.44 kg/student participant)

For further program information, please visit batterycycle.ca or for information and locations where the City of Ottawa collects non-rechargeable batteries year-round visit ottawa.ca/takeitback.

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BATTERYCYCLE collection totals over 19,000 lbs of batteries!

12 June 2009
BATTERYCYCLE visited all 60 participating schools this week to pick up their battery buckets, and we are pleased to announce that the program has been a tremendous success! Ottawa students have taken charge and combed their homes for old non-rechargeable batteries and delivered.

All in all, we collected over 19,000 pounds of batteries from local schools, which we estimate to be over 270,000 batteries collected! Congratulations to all program participants, and we look forward to hopefully continuing to work with you all in the fall.

We will announce our winning school finalists on Monday June 15th, so stay tuned for more news! In the meantime, enjoy this CBC report live from Chapel Hill Catholic School yesterday as we visited and collected their batteries:

BATTERYCYCLE PSA NOW LIVE!

Our BATTERYCYCLE public service announcement is now complete, and making its way to television stations across the city. Have a look and meet our BATTERYCYCLE spokespeople Tyler and Sabrina:

BRING BACK YOUR BUCKETS NEXT WEEK!

29 May 2009
We are collecting the battery buckets in early June, so this is a reminder to all students to bring those buckets back to school the week of June 1. We look forward to picking them up for recycling!

A new lesson plan focusing on battery recycling is now available in our Teacher's Corner section, and we have added several videos and articles to our Media area if you're interested.

Have a great weekend!

LESSON PLANS NOW AVAILABLE

22 May 2009
Great news teachers- our first lesson plan on "How Batteries Work" is now available in our Teacher's Corner area of the web site. Have a look and please give us your feedback!

FEATHERSTON DRIVE PS LAUNCH VIDEO!

Here's a video from our Ottawa program launch on April 29th...enjoy!

HOLY REDEEMER CATHOLIC SCHOOL launches BATTERYCYCLE!

6 May 2009- Councillor and Vice Chair of the City of Ottawa's Planning and Environment Committee Peggy Feltmate spoke to over 100 students at Holy Redeemer Catholic School yesterday, officially launching their participation in the BATTERYCYCLE program.

"I'm really pleased that this school has taken up the challenge of the BATTERYCYCLE program," said Councillor Feltmate. "The BATTERYCYCLE program will help reduce the hazardous waste going into our landfills. Students participating in this program are learning and teaching others about the damage done when batteries end up in landfills and helping our battery diversion rate."

"We are so thrilled and delighted with this program," exclaimed Principal Linda Mosley, who has embraced the BATTERYCYCLE program as part of the numerous environmental initiatives that Holy Redeemer has implemented in the school.

The BATTERYCYCLE team will return to Holy Redeemer Catholic School in early June to pick up their battery buckets. Will all 100 buckets be filled with used batteries??

Ottawa Program Launches!

Thanks to everyone that helped make the BATTERYCYCLE launch at Featherston Drive Public School a success! Over the next several days all 51 participating Ottawa schools will receive buckets for students to take home and start collecting batteries with. Check back here regularly for program updates and information.

Good luck to all you young battery collectors!












Watch the CBC coverage of the launch below:

BATTERYCYCLE launches today in Ottawa!

April 29, 2009

OTTAWA SCHOOLS TAKE PART IN NEW BATTERY RECYCLING AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

BATTERYCYCLE LAUNCHES IN 51 AREA SCHOOLS

Ottawa - The City of Ottawa has partnered with local organization BATTERYCYCLE to educate students and their families about safe handling of spent batteries and to divert 230,000 batteries from Ottawa landfills. The program launches today at Featherston Drive Public School with Councillor Peter Hume, Chairman of the City of Ottawa's Planning and Environment Committee.

Over 9,000 Grade 4-8 students in 51 Ottawa-area schools are collecting batteries in "battery buckets" over the month of May. The buckets will be weighed during Environment Week and then shipped to a recycling facility in Ontario where 100% of the materials will be recycled for use in new products.

Environment Canada estimates that only 2% of household batteries are currently being recycled in Canada. In Ottawa, we discard over 6.5 million batteries (weighing over 200 metric tonnes) every year. When batteries aren't properly recycled they end up in landfills where they can create environmental problems. Recycling batteries recovers valuable resources that will be used in place of new materials.

"When you engage students in environmental stewardship, it's rewarding," said Mayor Larry O'Brien. "Promoting proper handling and recycling of batteries is just one of several important environmental issues that we're working on at the City as part of our Take It Back! program."

"I'm very pleased to see this program take flight," said Councillor and Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee, Peter Hume. "The BATTERYCYCLE program will be instrumental in providing lasting education to Ottawa students and residents as a whole, ensuring that we dramatically improve our battery diversion rate."

"BATTERYCYCLE's mission is to bridge the gap between the lack of awareness around used battery handling and the necessity to keep batteries out of our landfills." said BATTERYCYCLE Director Jon Bartlett. "We applaud the City of Ottawa for its foresight in supporting such a unique approach to an important environmental problem."

BATTERYCYCLE is working with the Ottawa Catholic School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to bring the message of battery recycling into classrooms with engaging lesson plans and educational material for students and parents alike.

BATTERYCYCLE targets single-use AA, AAA, C, D, 9V and "button-type" (found in watches and calculators) batteries. These and other battery types are also accepted year-round at various locations in the city through the Take It Back! Program; full details are available at www.ottawa.ca/takeitback.

For further information on the program, visit BATTERYCYCLE.ca or contact Jon Bartlett at (613) 907-1567.