About 400 national schools collected more than 300 tons of batteries, lamps and used electrical equipment, as part of the 12th edition of “Escola Electrão”, an initiative of the Waste Management Association.
In a statement, Electrão – Waste Management Association indicates that this campaign, which took place between September 2022 and June 2023 and involved schools from north to south of the country, Azores and Madeira, allowed to collect 10.4 tons of batteries; 6.3 tons of light bulbs and 284 tons of other used electrical equipment, such as toasters, cell phones or computers.
“These results represent an increase of 12% compared to the previous edition, for the 2020/2021 school year, in which 269 tons were collected”, reads a statement.
The organization points out that this campaign is intended to raise awareness of the need to deliver used electrical equipment for recycling and highlights that “the number of registered schools that actively participate is increasing from year to year”.
“Participating schools receive points based on the quantities collected, which are converted into prizes. For every 10 kilos of batteries, 10 kilos of light bulbs or 100 kilos of used electrical equipment, each school receives a gift voucher worth 75 euros,” explains Electrão.
In this edition, 177 schools received awards, with the overall value of the prizes exceeding €30,000, which can be exchanged for new electrical equipment.
The three most awarded schools were the Serpa Secondary School, in the district of Beja, which “stood out again in this 12th edition, by winning 1,725 euros in gift vouchers thanks to the collection of 75 kilos of batteries, 16 kilos of lamps and 21812 kilos of used electrical equipment”, the Pina Manique Education and Development Center – Casa Pia de Lisboa, with 1.125 in gift vouchers by collecting 27 kilos of batteries, 1433 kilos of light bulbs and 761 kilos of used electrical equipment, and the Basic and Secondary School of Arga e Lima, Lanheses, in the district of Viana do Castelo, with 50 kilos of batteries, 680 kilos of light bulbs and 7630 kilos of used electrical equipment collected.
Over the course of 12 editions, this campaign has collected more than 6,000 tons of waste from participating schools.
Electrão – Waste Management Association is the entity responsible for three of the main waste collection and recycling systems, manages a collection network for electrical equipment and used batteries with more than 9,000 collection sites scattered throughout the national territory and recycles packaging throughout the country.
