BOSCO’S BACK FOR BATTERY RECYCLING CAMPAIGN!
November 24, 2014
BOSCO’S BATTERY RECYCLING CAMPAIGN!
All batteries recycled by WEEE Ireland contribute to the LauraLynn@HOME programme – helping 50 families in it’s pilot year
25 million batteries reycled during 2012/2013
Offaly and Wexford were top recyclers in 2013
PRESS RELEASE
November 24th 2014
Bosco Battery Recycling
“How many batteries do you have at home boys and girls?” That’s the question Bosco wants us all to ask ourselves as new toys and electrical goods enter the home in the run up to Christmas. Once again WEEE Ireland are asking the public to collect their waste batteries for recycling as a part of the annual campaign to contribute to LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice. In 2012/2013, the public recycled 25 million batteries, raising €90K for the charity, and it is hoped that the 2014/2015 campaign will be even more successful.
Everyone’s favourite TV star Bosco is again leading the recycling call for LauraLynn. Bosco will even make a special trip to one lucky school next year – all schools taking part in the WEEE Pledge battery reycling campaign will be in with a chance to win a visit from Bosco to their school. Bosco said; “I had so much fun last year telling everyone about LauraLynn and how we can all help raise funds by recycling our batteries. I know that all boys and girls in all of the schools around the country are the best at recycling, so I hope they will get all of the GROWN UPS to help them this year too!”
Battery recycling for LauraLynn
WEEE Ireland is contributing to the children’s charity LauraLynn for every waste battery collected as an extra incentive to get people to recycle and help Ireland meet challenging targets under EU environmental laws. For the next stage of the campaign and to meet EU recycling targets the Irish public are being challenged to increase the current collection rate of 16 million waste portable batteries per annum to 36 million waste portable batteries per annum*. That’s the equivalent of at least 10 waste batteries per person per year.
Blue battery box
People can easily get involved – simply recycle your waste batteries anywhere that you see the WEEE Ireland blue battery box. You will find them in local shops, businesses and schools across the country. All retailers that sell batteries are obliged to take them back for free so there is no excuse to not make your ‘donation’ this year and help LauraLynn.
In 2013, the people of Co. Offaly and Co. Wexford were leading the ‘charge’ on battery recycling – with an average of 12 batteries recycled per person in Co Offaly, and 11 per person in Co Wexford. The overwhelming success seen in these counties was helped by public collection days and the WEEE Pledge Scheme in schools. Every battery that is recycled in schools will help LauraLynn. Conor Leonard, Collections and Projects Manager at WEEE Ireland said; “Our engagement with schools to teach students about the importance of battery recycling has been a huge success and we can see the contribution it is making in terms of the numbers of batteries recycled for LauraLynn. It is wonderful to see children helping other unwell children and their families while also doing their bit for the environment. We would like to thank all schools who have adopted the WEEE Pledge programme and hope that others will sign up in 2015.”
The money raised during the 2014/2015 battery recycling campaign will go towards the LauraLynn@HOME programme. LauraLynn@HOME, which is currently being trialled in Dublin North-East and Dublin Mid-Leinster with a view to being rolled out nationwide next year, provides hands-on care in the home, provided by a team of dedicated LauraLynn nurses and health care assistants. This care includes respite, transitional, crisis and end-of-life care. The only difference to the current model of care available at LauraLynn will be that families can have the option of receiving this care in their own home. The current trial project required €800,000 to roll out and has received no HSE funding.
Speaking about the impact WEEE Ireland’s support has had on LauraLynn, CEO Sharon Morrow said “The continued support of WEEE Ireland and their battery recycling campaign has been incredible for LauraLynn. Particularly with the start of LauraLynn@HOME, WEEE Ireland’s impact will be so valuable. The majority of parents where possible, wish to care for their child at home with the appropriate supports. LauraLynn@HOME are working with our colleagues in the community, to provide families with more choices. We aim to provide the same high standard of hands-on hospice care, regardless of whether the child is cared for in LauraLynn House or in the child’s own home. We simply could not do this without committed supporters like WEEE Ireland”.
To find out more about LauraLynn please log on to lauralynn.ie and to find out more about WEEE Ireland please log on to weeeireland.ie.
- Units based on equivalent weight of double AA batteries.