Schools lead the way in battery recycling

Castleroe Primary School, Sandelford Special School, Ballyhackett Primary School, Coleraine Academical Institution, Coleraine High School and the Northern Regional College, Coleraine, are the first schools in the area to take on the battery recycling challenge.

Determined to reduce waste and help the environment, Castleroe Primary was first off the mark in requesting a battery box from Coleraine Borough Council’s Recycling Officer.

Provided by ERP, the company contracted to recycle batteries in Northern Ireland, the red and white battery boxes are provided and emptied free of charge to schools in the Coleraine Borough.

Fiona Watters, Council’s Recycling Officer, explains: “Only 5% of the UK’s batteries are recycled.

“We want to change this. That’s why we are asking schools to take on the battery recycling challenge. By putting battery boxes in schools, we are making recycling easier and more convenient for school staff and parents, we hope to increase the number of batteries recycled.”

All schools in the borough have been invited to take part, so it is hoped more will join in soon.

Battery boxes are available in ‘Cloonavin’, Coleraine Borough Council’s offices, Coleraine Leisure Centre (Railway Road) and in many shops for people to deposit their used batteries for recycling.

To receive a battery box for your school, please contact Fiona Watters on 028 7034 7272 or email [email protected] or visit www.colerainbc.gov.uk/recycle