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Curbside Battery Recycling Gives a Jolt to Ontario Recycling Rates!

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The City of Guelph asks residents to place the battery recycling bag on the ground next to the blue recycling cart on recycling day.

Port Colborne, ON– Beginning next week, many Ontario communities will be hosting a special collection to recycle used household batteries at the curbside.

A bi-annual event in most communities, residents are asked to place old single-use batteries into a zip lock bag and set it out with their recycling on a week promoted by their municipality. The collection is a very simple and effective solution to help manage this common waste material that is accumulated in small quantities by everyone.

The program is a partnership between Ontario municipalities, Raw Materials Company and Stewardship Ontario and is funded by the battery manufacturers. Although this innovative recycling program is still in its infancy, it has given a jolt to recycling rates across the province.

In 2015, there was an estimated 7,010 tonnes of single-use batteries available and ready to be recycled in Ontario alone. Last year the province recycled 33% or 2,330 tonnes of what was available, the highest collection rate in Canada. Ontario has come a long way since 2009, when less than 5% of batteries were recycled.

Curbside battery recycling addresses the primary participation barrier that exists for any recycling program; is it convenient? Since 2012, the program has grown to include more than 60 Ontario municipalities and 1.2 million homes can now recycle their batteries at the end of their driveway. Collections are usually timed to coincide with daylight savings time. The time of year when homeowners are reminded by the fire department to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors.

The curbside battery program has diverted more than 9 million batteries from landfills and the extra attention municipalities are giving this common waste material is increasing the awareness tenfold.

“The curbside battery program is a great reminder for people to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors. The program also raises the awareness for battery recycling at the same time,” said Cory Graper of Raw Materials Company.

A pilot study to determine the feasibility of a permanent year-round recycling program has recently wrapped up and the results are very promising for municipalities considering the transition.

This November, curbside battery recycling will be offered by many Ontario municipalities. Please check your local municipal website for specific setout instructions and collection dates.

If this program is not happening in your community, please visit rawmaterials.com to find the nearest recycling point in your neighbourhood.

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. Established in 1985, RMC employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program which is funded by the battery manufacturers. 


RMC President Named Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association

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Raw Materials Company President James Ewles named the Waste Sector Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association and its national partners.Port Colborne, ON– James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company has been named Canadian Waste Sector Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA) and its national partners.

The OWMA awards program recognizes and rewards those individuals who excel in their fields by showing excellence, exemplary customer service, entrepreneurship, innovation and perseverance. Mr. Ewles was presented with the highly regarded award at a special gala dinner attended by more than 150 waste management professionals on November 9th, 2016 as part of the Canadian Waste to Resource Conference.

“This is a team award, and it's a testament to the great efforts of all RMC team members over the past several years," said Ewles. "RMC would also like to thank the Province of Ontario and the Battery Stewards for their vision and commitment to recycling, resource preservation, and environmental protection. The success of the Ontario program is proof that great results are possible when we all work together."

Mr. Ewles has been a staunch advocate for higher order recycling and his leadership and vision ensured Raw Materials Company remained relevant while Ontario made steps to transition toward a more circular economy.

Since Raw Materials Company joined the Battery Incentive Program (BIP), a program operated by Stewardship Ontario and funded by the battery manufacturers, recycling in the province has skyrocketed. In 2015, there was an estimated 7,010 tonnes of single-use batteries available and ready to be recycled in Ontario alone. Last year the province recycled 33% or 2,330 tonnes of what was available, the highest collection rate in Canada.

“It is important to take time to acknowledge the tremendous contributions made by those who are leading the waste management sector,” said acting OWMA CEO Peter Hargreave. “This year, we were pleased to recognize six deserving individuals at our third annual awards ceremony for their continued efforts to advance innovation, increase sustainability in the waste management sector, and demonstrate corporate social responsibility in their organization and community.”

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program. 

Honora Wins OSBRC Great Wolf Lodge Family Day Prize Draw!

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On an unseasonably warm March morning, Wiley the Wolf ventured far from his den to pay a special visit to St. Cecilia Catholic School in Toronto to present a sixth grade student named Honora with a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. 

St. Cecilia is participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, a recycling competition between 125 elementary and secondary schools across the Province. As part of the Challenge, students can complete missions for a chance to win individual prizes. For the third time in as many years, Honora completed all five missions to become an official Battery Boss. Honora’s name was selected on Family Day and together with her classmates, she was presented with her prize at a school assembly earlier today.  

Save the world, recycle your batteries! A great message from Honora, grade 6 student at St. Cecilia School in Toronto."We're so happy for Honora," said Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company. "She's been engaged in this Challenge since it first started three years ago and it's just great to see her rewarded for her hard work and continued participation in the program."  

The Challenge is put on by Raw Materials Company, a battery recycling facility in Port Colborne. The purpose of the Challenge is to teach students and their families about the proper way to handle and store household batteries and why it’s important to recycle them when they no longer hold a charge. The Challenge started on the first day of Waste Reduction Week in October and finishes up on the Friday before Earth Day, April 21, 2017. 

At the end of the Challenge, the top three schools will receive a portion of a provincial prize pool with 10% reserved for a donation to the SickKids Foundation on behalf of all OSBRC participants. The OSBRC has grown significantly over the past three years and this year schools are on pace to recycle more than ever. With six weeks remaining in the Challenge, schools have already recycled more than 650,000 household batteries.

For more information about the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, please visit www.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge 

Proceeds for the collection and recycling of the batteries are made available through the Orange Drop program that is funded by primary battery manufacturers. For more information please visit www.makethedrop.ca 

About Raw Materials Company:
Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

 

RMC Purchases OBS 600 Optical Sorting Machines for Batteries

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Port Colborne, ON - Raw Materials Company signed a purchase agreement for three OBS 600 optical sorting machines. Developed for battery recyclers by REFIND Technologies in Gothenburg Sweden, the advanced identification and sorting system records the brand and chemistry types of the batteries it sorts, providing valuable market share data back to the recycler and its stakeholders.

Once installed, the units will work in parallel to accurately sort 30 batteries per second or 1800 kilograms per hour, greatly increasing the throughput of batteries processed at the Port Colborne, Ontario recycling facility.

“This new technology will expand our sorting capacity and efficiency and allow RMC to keep up with the growing number of batteries collected and recycled annually in Ontario and throughout North America,” said James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company. “The OBS 600 will also provide RMC with exclusive data on the batteries collected including brand, type and number of cells sorted and processed daily.”

The installation of the first OBS 600 is scheduled for the spring of 2017, with the second and third installations scheduled for early 2018. The addition of this equipment is timely given the recent surge in battery recycling across the Province of Ontario, Canada. In 2016 Ontarians recycled approximately 3 million kilograms of single-use batteries.

Raw Materials Company is building additional sorting and plant capacity to accommodate new business from Canada and the United States. The company also plans to build recycling plants in Europe and Asia using its patented recycling technologies.

Raw Materials Company was the first Canadian company to purchase the OBS 600 identification and sorting system and will be one of few companies in the world that will have this advanced capability.

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

Spring has Sprung at the New Community Garden in Lockview Park

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Local businesses team up to grow fresh produce at the Community Garden in Lockview Park, Port Colborne to support Port Cares Reach Out Centre Food BankPhoto provided by LEV8 Low Level Aerial Photography & Media

Port Colborne, ON - The new Lockview Park Community Garden will spring to life on the evening of June 7, 2017 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. as friends and families gather to sow seeds and enjoy a free bar-b-q by Tender Cuts. Lockview Park is located between Chestnut Park and Lakeshore Catholic High School. Everyone is welcome.

This will be the first growing season for the new garden, with the harvested fresh produce benefiting the Port Cares Reach Out Centre food bank. Members of the community can sign up for a plot, volunteer, or simply enjoy a hot dog and the company of their neighbours. 

“There will be fun activities for kids and we invite them to come and decorate the plots,” said Sarah Lacharity, organizer of the community garden. “The bar-b-q is free but we do encourage people to bring non-perishable food donations for the food bank.” 

The Reach Out Food Centre typically supports 600 people every month, a third of which are children under the age of 18. The food bank goes through approximately 15,000 pounds of food each month, including 1,000 pounds of produce which is donated to the food bank by local grocers, farmers, individual donors and existing community garden plots like the one at Lockview Park. Fresh produce is vital to a healthy diet and it’s especially difficult for families on fixed incomes to incorporate enough of it into their diets.

“We simply could not serve those in need in our community without the abundance of community support Port Cares Reach Out Centre receives. We truly appreciate the efforts of Raw Materials Company and Marine Recycling Corporation,” said Christine Clark Lafleur, Executive Director, Port Cares.

During the off season, Jordan Elliott of Marine Recycling Corporation was busy growing a variety of vegetables for the new garden using a product called Iron Earth. Iron Earth is a soil re-mineralizer that contains 76 organically bound earth elements. Not to be confused with fertilizer, Iron Earth is an organic soil conditioner and plant food that restores the vital nutrients consumed by plants after each growing season. 

“We’re so impressed with this product and we can’t wait to see the expression on everyone’s face when they see how far along these seedlings are,” said Jordan Elliott. “At this rate, we’ll have tomatoes by July!”

Iron Earth joins the City of Port Colborne, Tender Cuts, Marine Recycling Corporation and Raw Materials Company as the latest corporate sponsor of the community garden. The company has generously donated enough soil re-mineralizer for each plot.

The Port Cares Reach out Centre serves the communities of Port Colborne and Wainfleet and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. at 61 Nickel Street in Port Colborne. 

Quintilian School Wins Provincial Recycling Challenge!

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Ben Kersley of Raw Materials Company awards Quintilian Private School of Kingston with a 1st place trophy and cheque for winning the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge

Kingston, ON - On June 16th, Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne paid a special visit to Quintilian School of Kingston to award them a first-place trophy and a cheque for winning the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC).

The OSBRC is a recycling competition between elementary and secondary schools across Ontario. The Challenge reached 70,000 students and together they recycled close to 1.2 million single-use batteries. An 18% increase over the number of batteries recycled from the same number of students last year. Quintilian earned 55,100 points and took home a portion of the $15,498 prize pool. 

“It was fun to do the battery drive. It was a lot of work too!” said grade six student Kai.

As part of the Challenge, OSBRC schools set out with a goal to recycle 1.36 kilograms of batteries per student enrolled. 1.36 kilograms is what the average Canadian family accumulates in a year. With help from the local community, Quintilian students managed to recycle 40 times that amount.

“It wasn’t just a competition, we also did this for the environment,” said grade five student, Cassidy. “Batteries shouldn’t go in the dump. We need to recycle them and it’s amazing how many batteries could have ended up in the dump!”

This was Quintilian’s second year participating in the OSBRC. Last year the Kingston area school finished the Challenge in second place and used its winnings to purchase new laptops for the 7/8 classroom.

“We are hoping to use this year’s prize money to update some very old technology that the school is still using,” said Laura DeSousa, Director of Planning at Quintilian Private School. “Our students also expressed a desire for some updated outdoor equipment.”

 “We are all very proud of Quintilian and all of the other schools that worked hard this year to recycle batteries,” said Mike Kersley of Raw Materials Company. “These students embodied the spirit of teamwork and their determination this year was fantastic.”
 
The defending champion, Springfield Public School, finished the Challenge in second place after coming first in the 2015/2016 Challenge. The rural London area school continues to hold the record for OSBRC Student Missions with 84 students completing missions this year. 

“After having been involved with the battery recycling program, I don’t see any of our students disposing of batteries in the trash for the rest of their lives,” said Keith Alward, teacher at Springfield Public School.

“The battery challenge has showed us how to be leaders and teach younger students to care about our environment,” said Amy Cox, student at Springfield P.S.

“The students have enjoyed the 16 Chromebooks and two iPads that we purchased with the funds we won last year,” said Sheri Webb, secretary at Springfield Public School. “With our winning cheque this year, we have decided to donate $1000 to the SickKids Foundation in Toronto to assist Raw Materials Company Inc. in their venture of supporting this foundation. The remaining funds will be put towards innovative technology.”

Rounding out the top three was newcomer Muskoka Christian School (MCS). Muskoka got off to a lightning fast start and really set the pace for several months. MCS plans to use its share of the prize to update the non-fiction section of the library, including the recycling and environment section. 

A portion of the prize pool will be donated to SickKids Foundation on behalf of all participants during a visit to the Hospital for Sick Children on June 21st, 2017. 

The OSBRC is meant to teach children and their families about the proper ways to handle, store and recycle batteries at home and at school. The program offers many free resources for educators and there is no cost for a school to participate. 

Prize money is awarded based on the total number of alkaline batteries recycled during the contest. For every kilogram of single-use alkaline batteries recycled, RMC pays money into a provincial prize pool to award the top three schools. 

Funding for the transportation and recycling of the batteries was provided through the Stewardship Ontario Orange Drop program. 

Since 2015, schools participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge have recycled more than 3 million household batteries. 100% of the alkaline batteries they recycled are reused and nothing is sent to the landfill. Recycling displaces the need to mine for the equivalent amount of raw materials from ore, a major cause of green-house gas emissions. 

To learn more about the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, please visit www.rawmaterials.com.

About Raw Materials Company:
Raw Materials Company is the industry leading battery recycling company whose process achieves the highest recovery and recycling rate in North America. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program. 

OSBRC Makes Donation to SickKids Foundation!

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Front row left image - Kate of Springfield PS, Brayden and Madelyn of St. Anthony Catholic French Immersion. Back row -  Mike Kersley of Raw Materials Company and Brianne Fodey of SickKids 

Toronto, ON – On June 21st, a delegation from the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC) traveled to The Hospital for Sick Children to make a donation to the SickKids Foundation on behalf of all OSBRC participants.

In its third year, the OSBRC reached 70,000 students and together they recycled more than 1.2 million batteries! An 18% increase over the number of batteries recycled from the same number of students last year. A provincial prize pool awarded the top three schools in the province with a portion reserved for the SickKids Foundation. To date, OSBRC students have raised more than $5,500 for SickKids.

In addition to the OSBRC donation earlier today, 2nd place winners Sprinfield Public School graciously donated a share of its winnings to the Foundation as well. 

“With our winning cheque this year, we have decided to donate $1000 to the SickKids Foundation in Toronto to assist Raw Materials Company Inc. in their venture of supporting this foundation," said Sheri Webb, Secretary at Sprinfield Public School.  

“SickKids would like to thank everyone involved with the OSBRC for their steadfast support of children’s health, all while promoting the importance of recycling in today’s youth,” said Brianne Fodey, Community Events Coordinator at the SickKids Foundation.

Since 2015, schools participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge have recycled more than 3 million used household batteries. 100% of the alkaline batteries collected are recycled and nothing is sent to the landfill. Recycling displaces the need to mine for the equivalent amount of raw materials from ore, a major cause of green house gas emissions. 

“It’s fascinating to see how enthusiastic these kids are about recycling and philanthropy,” said James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company. “The donation to the SickKids Foundation is something that students suggested in the first year and it’s been something that all of us can really get behind.” 

The OSBRC is a provincial recycling competition between elementary and secondary schools put on by Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne, Ontario. The purpose of the challenge is to teach students and their families how to properly handle and store batteries and how to prepare them for recycling. The OSBRC offers many free resources for educators and there is no cost for a school to participate.

Elementary and secondary schools in the Province of Ontario are eligible to participate in the Challenge. Registration begins in September and the Challenge officially launches during Waste Reduction Week in October. For more information, please visit www.rawmaterials.com 

Local Retailers Help Communities Divert Batteries From Landfill

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Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company thanks Sharon Riddell and Kyle Boggio of Boggio's Pharmacy for recycling more than 2000 kilograms of household batteries from the public

Port Colborne, ON - If you live in the Niagara region you’re probably aware that household batteries should be recycled. The Region was the first in the Province to provide its communities with an annual curbside collection for single-use batteries and they host several Hazardous Waste Days throughout the year.

Rounding out these convenient recycling options, another stream of batteries trickles in all year long from local retailers that have volunteered their time to collect batteries from the public every day they’re open.

Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company stopped by Boggio Pharmacy in Port Colborne, a small community of 18,000, to congratulate them for recycling more than 2000-kilograms of household batteries.

“This is a very significant milestone and Boggio Pharmacy should be very proud of their achievement,” said Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company. “We have many dedicated retailers across Ontario that are helping communities to divert household batteries from landfill, they all deserve to be recognized for their efforts. This is a great example for what is possible under the Orange Drop program when local businesses and the community come together to collect and recycle batteries.”

The Boggio Family of Pharmacies are four of a handful of retailers in the Niagara region that are providing this value added recycling service to its customers free of charge.

“We had already been recycling expired medications and sharps at our four pharmacies throughout the Niagara region,” said Sharon Riddell, Operations Manager at Boggio Pharmacy in Port Colborne. “We wanted to provide our customers with a convenient way to recycle the batteries they were purchasing at our stores and we figured the easier it was, the more likely people would participate.”

Boggio Pharmacy in Port Colborne became a public recycling point for single-use batteries in July 2011. Since then, the Port Colborne pharmacy has helped the community recycle 2,055 kg of batteries, diverting harmful chemicals and reusable materials from the local landfill.

“We know from experience that recycling programs must be convenient for the user in order to be successful. Like many Ontario municipalities, Niagara Region is fortunate to have local retailers providing residents with alternative avenues to conveniently recycle items. Locations, such as Boggio, compliment Niagara’s various, existing diversion programs. Boggio should be applauded for their commitment to their customers and our local environment,” said Alan Caslin, Niagara Regional Chair.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our customers’ experience at each of our locations,” added Kyle Boggio, Pharmacist at Boggio Pharmacy.  

To learn how to store batteries in your home and how to prepare them for recycling, please visit www.rawmaterials.com/page/education/prepare-batteries/.

To search for a battery recycling point near you, please click here.

 


Record 544,000 Households in 56 Ontario Municipalities to Have Access to Curbside Battery Collection

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Twice a year, many Ontario communities have an opportunity to recycle single-use batteries at the curbside. Port Colborne, ON – In the first two weeks of November 544,000 homes in Durham Region, Simcoe County, Dufferin County, Hastings and Prince Edward County, City of Barrie, City of Guelph, City of Orillia and the Town of Blue Mountains as well as a host of other Ontario municipalities will receive a special curbside collection of household batteries.

Twice a year, Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne teams up with Stewardship Ontario to provide municipalities across the Province with a curbside battery collection. This year a record 544,000 homes in 56 Ontario municipalities will be offered this important environmental service.

A woman places used household batteries inside a ziplock bag prior to receiving a curbside collection to recycle them.

In most of these communities, the battery collection event runs just after the clocks change for daylight savings when fire departments remind citizens to change the batteries in their smoke alarms.

To participate, residents simply put batteries into a zip lock bag and place them at the curb with other recyclables on recycling day.

In the last four years, battery recycling in Ontario has skyrocketed. Prior to 2011, Ontarians recycled less than 5% of single-use batteries available. In 2014, Ontarians recycled 24% of single-use batteries sold in the same year – the highest verified collection rate in North America.

The reason for this dramatic increase in battery recycling is a battery incentive program (BIP) launched by Stewardship Ontario in 2011 and funded by battery manufacturers. The BIP provides battery transporters and recyclers with incentives for the collection and recycling of batteries. As a result, curbside collections of household batteries have diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds of primary batteries from Ontario landfills.

 “The financial incentives funded by battery manufacturers help to offset municipal costs of providing residents with this convenient service. Once collected, Raw Materials Company in Port Colborne, Ontario processes the batteries to produce recycled commodities that are used in manufacturing. Residents love the program because it's convenient,” said Chris Fast, Waste Services Coordinator for the County of Dufferin.

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

RMC Receives Top Score for Product Innovation from Recycling Council of Ontario

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Raw Materials Company receives a top score for Product Innovations at Recycling Council of Ontario Awards Luncheon

Toronto, ON - On October 21 2015, Raw Materials Company (RMC) received a Top Score for Product Innovation at the Recycling Council of Ontario’s Awards Luncheon at the Allstream Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

This year applicants were scored for overall waste minimization including their ability to reduce waste, to prevent waste and their success in sorting and tracking waste materials to recycling.

As a service provider, Raw Materials Company collects designated waste for the Stewardship Ontario Municipal Hazardous & Special Waste Program (MHSW). The company specializes in battery recycling and offers expanded collection services for other waste materials to support the unique recycling needs of businesses and municipalities in Ontario.

Raw Materials Company collects batteries, electronic waste, fluorescent tubes, mercury and lead bearing waste. In 2014 RMC collected more than three million kilograms of waste material in Ontario.  

In September of 2014, Raw Materials Company launched the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC), a new and innovative education campaign for elementary and secondary schools.  The Challenge teaches children and their families how to safely store batteries in the home and how to prepare them for recycling. The program is part of a larger strategy to raise awareness for battery recycling among Ontario’s youth.

“The lessons and positive habits these students are learning will stay with them for the rest of their lives,” said Andrew Paupst of Raw Materials Company.

Last year, more than 56,000 students participated in the Challenge and together they recycled 25,628 kilograms.

Since the introduction of the Province’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation for primary batteries, RMC has setup 4299 public recycling points at retail stores and other public facing facilities in Ontario. The company has also facilitated curbside battery collections working alongside more than 56 municipalities.

“Our primary function is to provide a sustainable recycling solution for alkaline batteries,” said James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company. “We’ve invested heavily in a recycling technology that is able to recover 100 percent of an alkaline battery. The materials are all reused by industry and this helps displace the need to mine the same amount materials from ore, a major cause of green-house-gas emissions.”

In 2014, the Province recycled 24% of the single-use batteries sold in the same year – the highest verified collection rate in North America.

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

 

Nyla Wins OSBRC Family Day Prize Draw!

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Students from Springfield Public School wear neon colours for National Battery Day! Nyla of Springfield won the OSBRC Family Day Prize Draw and a Trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls!

Springfield, ON– On February 18th, Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company along with friends Wiley and Craig, paid a visit to Springfield Public School to award Nyla with a Family Trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls!

Nyla’s school is participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge and they are competing against 124 other schools in the Province to see which school can recycle the most batteries. The purpose of the challenge is to educate children and their families about the proper way to handle and store batteries in the home and why it’s important to recycle them when they no longer hold a charge.

Students that participate in the challenge can sign up to complete Student Missions for a chance to win prizes. Students that completed five missions by Family Day on February 15th were entered into a special draw for a family stay at Great Wolf Lodge.

Nyla was presented with a supersized post card at a National Battery Day assembly at her school and along with her classmates; she got a chance to meet Wiley, Great Wolf Lodge’s popular mascot.

The Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge started on the first day of Waste Reduction Week (October 19, 2015) and runs until Earth Day on April 22, 2016. The top three schools in the Province will walk away with a share of a Provincial prize pool and a portion of the program’s proceeds will also be donated to SickKids Hospital Foundation on behalf of all schools at the end of the challenge.

So far, these Ontario schools have recycled over 12,000 Kgs. At this rate, the prize pool is estimated to reach $10,000 by the end of the Challenge. Springfield Public School is currently one of the program’s top three collectors.

For more information about the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, please visit www.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge

Proceeds for the collection and recycling of the batteries are made available through the Orange Drop program that is funded by primary battery manufacturers. For more information please visit www.makethedrop.ca

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

Springfield Public School Wins Provincial Recycling Challenge!

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Springfield Public School wins the 2015/2016 Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge!

Springfield, ON - On June 14th, Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne stopped by Springfield Public School to award them with a first place trophy and a cheque for $6,446!

Springfield Public School was the winner of the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC), a recycling competition between elementary and secondary schools in the province. The program reached 70,000 students and together they recycled over 1 million batteries this year! A 43% increase over last year’s Challenge. Springfield Public School earned 38,194 points, securing first place in the competition.

This was Springfield’s second year participating in the OSBRC. Last year they had a tough finish well outside of the leaderboard, but renewed buy-in and a fresh outlook made all the difference for this rural Ontario school this time around.

"We are ecstatic to learn the efforts of recycling batteries have made a difference for our little rural school in Springfield but more importantly for the environment,” said Sheri Webb, Secretary at Springfield Public School. “It has been fantastic to see the students, staff, parents and community come together for a common goal. The students have learned so much through this process about how they can make a positive change in the world."  

Early in the Challenge, the school’s secretary Mrs. Webb invited students to create posters to hang around the school. Soon after, Mrs. McQuiggan’s grade 4/5 class jumped on board and Springfield’s program really took off after that.

Springfield students pose for a picture in front of the Battery Boss Wall of Fame.As a part of the Challenge, students were invited to participate in Student Missions for a chance to win individual prizes. Students that completed five missions were given a certificate along with the title ‘Battery Boss’. To encourage the students to participate, the school setup a ‘Battery Boss Wall of Fame’ and every student that received a certificate had their picture put up on the wall. Springfield Public School had 64 Battery Bosses, the highest count out of all of the schools participating.

With help from their parents, these dedicated Battery Bosses and the students and staff of Springfield Public school made a tremendous effort to save dead batteries from the landfill in their community. They hung posters around town, reached out to the local press and once the word spread, community support and battery collections rallied.

“We were very impressed with Springfield’s campaign this year. It was great to see the community come together to support the local school and their efforts really paid off,” said Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company. “It’s inspiring to see students rally behind an environmental cause and the local community and the environment will benefit from all of their hard work.”

Similar to last year’s winner, Springfield plans to use some of the money to plant some greenery and build a pergola over their outdoor eco-classroom.

"It's exciting to have extra funds to enhance our green space outside and continue to teach our children about the importance of being responsible for our environment. Students will know they played an important part in making our outdoor classroom a reality,” said Mrs Webb.

Woodstock Christian School, just down the road from Springfield, came in third place and received a cheque for $1,933. Quintilian Private School of Kingston finished in second and received $3,223. 10% of the prize pool will be donated to SickKids Foundation on behalf of all participants during a visit to the SickKids Children’s Hospital on June 22nd 2016.

The OSBRC is meant to teach children and their families about the proper ways to handle, store and recycle batteries at home and at school. The program offers many free resources for educators and there is no cost for a school to participate.

Prize money is awarded based on the total number of alkaline batteries collected during the contest. For every kilogram of single-use alkaline batteries recycled, RMC pays money into a provincial prize pool to award the top three schools.

Funding for the transportation and recycling of the batteries was provided through the Stewardship Ontario Orange Drop program.

Since 2015, schools participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge have recycled more than 1.8 million household batteries, a 255% increase in school recycling since the Challenge started. 100% of the alkaline batteries they recycled are reused and nothing is sent to the landfill. Recycling displaces the need to mine for the equivalent amount of raw materials from ore, a major cause of green house gas emissions.

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is the industry leading battery recycling company whose process achieves the highest recovery and recycling rate in North America. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program. 

Ontario Schools Raise $2578 for SickKids Hospital!

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Students from the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge paid a visit to the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to make a donation to the SickKids Foundation on behalf of all OSBRC participants.

Toronto, ON– On June 22nd, a small delegation from the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC) paid a visit to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) for a special tour and to make a donation to SickKids Foundation on behalf of all of the Challenge participants.

The OSBRC is a provincial recycling competition between elementary and secondary schools put on by Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne, Ontario. The program teaches children and their families how to properly manage batteries for recycling. The Challenge offers many free resources for educators and there is no cost for a school to participate. As a bonus, students and schools can win prizes for participating.

The program reached 70,000 students across Ontario and together they recycled more than 1 million batteries this year! A 43% increase over last year’s Challenge. The provincial prize pool reached a total of $12,892 and was awarded to the winning schools with $2,578 raised for SickKids Foundation!

“We are so grateful to the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge organized by Raw Materials Company and everyone involved in this initiative for their support of SickKids. Not only are they engaging the community and students across Ontario in a creative and educational way, they are also raising critical funds for the hospital,” said Constanze Bleeker, Associate for Events at SickKids Foundation.

Since 2015, schools participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge have recycled more than 1.8 million used household batteries. 100% of the alkaline batteries collected are recycled and nothing is sent to the landfill. Recycling displaces the need to mine for the equivalent amount of raw materials from ore, a major cause of green house gas emissions.

“I’m very impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment the participating schools and students have shown for the environment,” said James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company. “They did a fantastic job collecting these batteries for proper recycling and keeping them out of Ontario’s municipal landfills.

Elementary and secondary schools in the Province of Ontario are eligible to participate in the Challenge. Registration begins in September and the Challenge officially launches during Waste Reduction Week in October. For more information, please visit www.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge/

Local Companies Work with City to Grow Fresh Produce for the Food Bank!

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Mike Audit, Mike Graybeil, Councillor Angie Desmarais, Scott Luey, Mayor John Maloney, Amanda Upper and Sarah Lacharity pose for a picture at the site of the new community garden at Lockview Park in Port Colborne Ontario.From left to right: Mike Audit, Mike Graybeil, Councillor Angie Desmarais, Scott Luey, Mayor John Maloney, Amanda Upper and Sarah Lacharity.

Port Colborne, ON – Two local companies have joined forces with the City of Port Colborne and Port Cares to build and manage a community garden at Lockview Park with the fresh produce going to the Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre.

On September 15th beginning at 5 p.m. (until 7 p.m.) there will be ground breaking ceremony at the new garden in Lockview Park and everyone is invited to come out and enjoy a barbecue. Tender Cuts will be onsite holding down the grill and non-perishable food donations to the Reach Out Food Centre will be accepted. Lockview Park is located between Chestnut Park and Lakeshore Catholic High School.

The space for the community garden was provided by the City of Port Colborne and together with staff from Marine Recycling Corporation and Raw Materials Company, a team has been working diligently to put the final touches on eight newly constructed garden boxes and a custom made sign.

The garden will be ready for its first growing season early this spring, and the group hopes that this barbecue will drum up some much needed support from local businesses and volunteers in the community.

“Right now we have the resources and volunteers to manage eight garden boxes, but with some additional corporate funds and community volunteers, we could have 30 before the end of the first season,” said Jordan Elliott of Marine Recycling Company. “There are a few plots available to the community, interested families, businesses or organizations can find applications at the BBQ.”

The Reach Out Food Centre typically supports 600 people every month, a third of which are children under the age of 18.

“Even when we experience seasonal declines in food bank activity, we’re still serving at least 500 people each month,” said Amanda Upper, Site Supervisor at Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre. “Fresh foods like produce are vital to a healthy diet and it’s especially difficult for families on fixed incomes to incorporate enough of it into their diet due to the costs of such foods.”

The food bank goes through approximately 15,000 pounds of food each month, including 1,000 pounds of produce which is donated to the food bank by local grocers, farmers, individual donors and existing community garden plots like the one at Lockview Park.

“The fruit and vegetables grown in this garden will directly benefit residents in our community who rely on the Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre,” said Mayor John Maloney. “I want to thank everyone at Marine Recycling Corporation and Raw Materials Company for stepping up to undertake this project.”

“Marine Recycling Corporation, Raw Materials Company and the City of Port Colborne are to be commended for their community leadership and investment. By working together, we are able to better utilize resources, provide wholesome and affordable food and provide people who would otherwise not have the opportunity with valuable skills and personal development,” said Christine Clark Lafleur, Executive Director, Port Cares. 

The Port Cares Reach Out Centre food bank serves the communities of Port Colborne and Wainfleet and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at 61 Nickel Street in Port Colborne.

If anyone from the community wants to help maintain the gardens next spring, please contact Sarah Lacharity at (905) 835-1203 or slacharity@rawmaterials.com

Curbside Battery Recycling Gives a Jolt to Ontario Recycling Rates!

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The City of Guelph asks residents to place the battery recycling bag on the ground next to the blue recycling cart on recycling day.

Port Colborne, ON– Beginning next week, many Ontario communities will be hosting a special collection to recycle used household batteries at the curbside.

A bi-annual event in most communities, residents are asked to place old single-use batteries into a zip lock bag and set it out with their recycling on a week promoted by their municipality. The collection is a very simple and effective solution to help manage this common waste material that is accumulated in small quantities by everyone.

The program is a partnership between Ontario municipalities, Raw Materials Company and Stewardship Ontario and is funded by the battery manufacturers. Although this innovative recycling program is still in its infancy, it has given a jolt to recycling rates across the province.

In 2015, there was an estimated 7,010 tonnes of single-use batteries available and ready to be recycled in Ontario alone. Last year the province recycled 33% or 2,330 tonnes of what was available, the highest collection rate in Canada. Ontario has come a long way since 2009, when less than 5% of batteries were recycled.

Curbside battery recycling addresses the primary participation barrier that exists for any recycling program; is it convenient? Since 2012, the program has grown to include more than 60 Ontario municipalities and 1.2 million homes can now recycle their batteries at the end of their driveway. Collections are usually timed to coincide with daylight savings time. The time of year when homeowners are reminded by the fire department to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors.

The curbside battery program has diverted more than 9 million batteries from landfills and the extra attention municipalities are giving this common waste material is increasing the awareness tenfold.

“The curbside battery program is a great reminder for people to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors. The program also raises the awareness for battery recycling at the same time,” said Cory Graper of Raw Materials Company.

A pilot study to determine the feasibility of a permanent year-round recycling program has recently wrapped up and the results are very promising for municipalities considering the transition.

This November, curbside battery recycling will be offered by many Ontario municipalities. Please check your local municipal website for specific setout instructions and collection dates.

If this program is not happening in your community, please visit rawmaterials.com to find the nearest recycling point in your neighbourhood.

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. Established in 1985, RMC employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program which is funded by the battery manufacturers. 


RMC President Named Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association

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Raw Materials Company President James Ewles named the Waste Sector Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association and its national partners.Port Colborne, ON– James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company has been named Canadian Waste Sector Executive of the Year by the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA) and its national partners.

The OWMA awards program recognizes and rewards those individuals who excel in their fields by showing excellence, exemplary customer service, entrepreneurship, innovation and perseverance. Mr. Ewles was presented with the highly regarded award at a special gala dinner attended by more than 150 waste management professionals on November 9th, 2016 as part of the Canadian Waste to Resource Conference.

“This is a team award, and it's a testament to the great efforts of all RMC team members over the past several years," said Ewles. "RMC would also like to thank the Province of Ontario and the Battery Stewards for their vision and commitment to recycling, resource preservation, and environmental protection. The success of the Ontario program is proof that great results are possible when we all work together."

Mr. Ewles has been a staunch advocate for higher order recycling and his leadership and vision ensured Raw Materials Company remained relevant while Ontario made steps to transition toward a more circular economy.

Since Raw Materials Company joined the Battery Incentive Program (BIP), a program operated by Stewardship Ontario and funded by the battery manufacturers, recycling in the province has skyrocketed. In 2015, there was an estimated 7,010 tonnes of single-use batteries available and ready to be recycled in Ontario alone. Last year the province recycled 33% or 2,330 tonnes of what was available, the highest collection rate in Canada.

“It is important to take time to acknowledge the tremendous contributions made by those who are leading the waste management sector,” said acting OWMA CEO Peter Hargreave. “This year, we were pleased to recognize six deserving individuals at our third annual awards ceremony for their continued efforts to advance innovation, increase sustainability in the waste management sector, and demonstrate corporate social responsibility in their organization and community.”

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program. 

Honora Wins OSBRC Great Wolf Lodge Family Day Prize Draw!

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On an unseasonably warm March morning, Wiley the Wolf ventured far from his den to pay a special visit to St. Cecilia Catholic School in Toronto to present a sixth grade student named Honora with a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. 

St. Cecilia is participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, a recycling competition between 125 elementary and secondary schools across the Province. As part of the Challenge, students can complete missions for a chance to win individual prizes. For the third time in as many years, Honora completed all five missions to become an official Battery Boss. Honora’s name was selected on Family Day and together with her classmates, she was presented with her prize at a school assembly earlier today.  

Save the world, recycle your batteries! A great message from Honora, grade 6 student at St. Cecilia School in Toronto."We're so happy for Honora," said Sarah Lacharity of Raw Materials Company. "She's been engaged in this Challenge since it first started three years ago and it's just great to see her rewarded for her hard work and continued participation in the program."  

The Challenge is put on by Raw Materials Company, a battery recycling facility in Port Colborne. The purpose of the Challenge is to teach students and their families about the proper way to handle and store household batteries and why it’s important to recycle them when they no longer hold a charge. The Challenge started on the first day of Waste Reduction Week in October and finishes up on the Friday before Earth Day, April 21, 2017. 

At the end of the Challenge, the top three schools will receive a portion of a provincial prize pool with 10% reserved for a donation to the SickKids Foundation on behalf of all OSBRC participants. The OSBRC has grown significantly over the past three years and this year schools are on pace to recycle more than ever. With six weeks remaining in the Challenge, schools have already recycled more than 650,000 household batteries.

For more information about the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, please visit www.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge 

Proceeds for the collection and recycling of the batteries are made available through the Orange Drop program that is funded by primary battery manufacturers. For more information please visit www.makethedrop.ca 

About Raw Materials Company:
Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

 

RMC Purchases OBS 600 Optical Sorting Machines for Batteries

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Port Colborne, ON - Raw Materials Company signed a purchase agreement for three OBS 600 optical sorting machines. Developed for battery recyclers by REFIND Technologies in Gothenburg Sweden, the advanced identification and sorting system records the brand and chemistry types of the batteries it sorts, providing valuable market share data back to the recycler and its stakeholders.

Once installed, the units will work in parallel to accurately sort 30 batteries per second or 1800 kilograms per hour, greatly increasing the throughput of batteries processed at the Port Colborne, Ontario recycling facility.

“This new technology will expand our sorting capacity and efficiency and allow RMC to keep up with the growing number of batteries collected and recycled annually in Ontario and throughout North America,” said James Ewles, President of Raw Materials Company. “The OBS 600 will also provide RMC with exclusive data on the batteries collected including brand, type and number of cells sorted and processed daily.”

The installation of the first OBS 600 is scheduled for the spring of 2017, with the second and third installations scheduled for early 2018. The addition of this equipment is timely given the recent surge in battery recycling across the Province of Ontario, Canada. In 2016 Ontarians recycled approximately 3 million kilograms of single-use batteries.

Raw Materials Company is building additional sorting and plant capacity to accommodate new business from Canada and the United States. The company also plans to build recycling plants in Europe and Asia using its patented recycling technologies.

Raw Materials Company was the first Canadian company to purchase the OBS 600 identification and sorting system and will be one of few companies in the world that will have this advanced capability.

About Raw Materials Company:

Raw Materials Company is an industry leading battery-recycling company. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program.

Spring has Sprung at the New Community Garden in Lockview Park

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Local businesses team up to grow fresh produce at the Community Garden in Lockview Park, Port Colborne to support Port Cares Reach Out Centre Food BankPhoto provided by LEV8 Low Level Aerial Photography & Media

Port Colborne, ON - The new Lockview Park Community Garden will spring to life on the evening of June 7, 2017 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. as friends and families gather to sow seeds and enjoy a free bar-b-q by Tender Cuts. Lockview Park is located between Chestnut Park and Lakeshore Catholic High School. Everyone is welcome.

This will be the first growing season for the new garden, with the harvested fresh produce benefiting the Port Cares Reach Out Centre food bank. Members of the community can sign up for a plot, volunteer, or simply enjoy a hot dog and the company of their neighbours. 

“There will be fun activities for kids and we invite them to come and decorate the plots,” said Sarah Lacharity, organizer of the community garden. “The bar-b-q is free but we do encourage people to bring non-perishable food donations for the food bank.” 

The Reach Out Food Centre typically supports 600 people every month, a third of which are children under the age of 18. The food bank goes through approximately 15,000 pounds of food each month, including 1,000 pounds of produce which is donated to the food bank by local grocers, farmers, individual donors and existing community garden plots like the one at Lockview Park. Fresh produce is vital to a healthy diet and it’s especially difficult for families on fixed incomes to incorporate enough of it into their diets.

“We simply could not serve those in need in our community without the abundance of community support Port Cares Reach Out Centre receives. We truly appreciate the efforts of Raw Materials Company and Marine Recycling Corporation,” said Christine Clark Lafleur, Executive Director, Port Cares.

During the off season, Jordan Elliott of Marine Recycling Corporation was busy growing a variety of vegetables for the new garden using a product called Iron Earth. Iron Earth is a soil re-mineralizer that contains 76 organically bound earth elements. Not to be confused with fertilizer, Iron Earth is an organic soil conditioner and plant food that restores the vital nutrients consumed by plants after each growing season. 

“We’re so impressed with this product and we can’t wait to see the expression on everyone’s face when they see how far along these seedlings are,” said Jordan Elliott. “At this rate, we’ll have tomatoes by July!”

Iron Earth joins the City of Port Colborne, Tender Cuts, Marine Recycling Corporation and Raw Materials Company as the latest corporate sponsor of the community garden. The company has generously donated enough soil re-mineralizer for each plot.

The Port Cares Reach out Centre serves the communities of Port Colborne and Wainfleet and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. at 61 Nickel Street in Port Colborne. 

Quintilian School Wins Provincial Recycling Challenge!

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Ben Kersley of Raw Materials Company awards Quintilian Private School of Kingston with a 1st place trophy and cheque for winning the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge

Kingston, ON - On June 16th, Raw Materials Company of Port Colborne paid a special visit to Quintilian School of Kingston to award them a first-place trophy and a cheque for winning the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC).

The OSBRC is a recycling competition between elementary and secondary schools across Ontario. The Challenge reached 70,000 students and together they recycled close to 1.2 million single-use batteries. An 18% increase over the number of batteries recycled from the same number of students last year. Quintilian earned 55,100 points and took home a portion of the $15,498 prize pool. 

“It was fun to do the battery drive. It was a lot of work too!” said grade six student Kai.

As part of the Challenge, OSBRC schools set out with a goal to recycle 1.36 kilograms of batteries per student enrolled. 1.36 kilograms is what the average Canadian family accumulates in a year. With help from the local community, Quintilian students managed to recycle 40 times that amount.

“It wasn’t just a competition, we also did this for the environment,” said grade five student, Cassidy. “Batteries shouldn’t go in the dump. We need to recycle them and it’s amazing how many batteries could have ended up in the dump!”

This was Quintilian’s second year participating in the OSBRC. Last year the Kingston area school finished the Challenge in second place and used its winnings to purchase new laptops for the 7/8 classroom.

“We are hoping to use this year’s prize money to update some very old technology that the school is still using,” said Laura DeSousa, Director of Planning at Quintilian Private School. “Our students also expressed a desire for some updated outdoor equipment.”

 “We are all very proud of Quintilian and all of the other schools that worked hard this year to recycle batteries,” said Mike Kersley of Raw Materials Company. “These students embodied the spirit of teamwork and their determination this year was fantastic.”
 
The defending champion, Springfield Public School, finished the Challenge in second place after coming first in the 2015/2016 Challenge. The rural London area school continues to hold the record for OSBRC Student Missions with 84 students completing missions this year. 

“After having been involved with the battery recycling program, I don’t see any of our students disposing of batteries in the trash for the rest of their lives,” said Keith Alward, teacher at Springfield Public School.

“The battery challenge has showed us how to be leaders and teach younger students to care about our environment,” said Amy Cox, student at Springfield P.S.

“The students have enjoyed the 16 Chromebooks and two iPads that we purchased with the funds we won last year,” said Sheri Webb, secretary at Springfield Public School. “With our winning cheque this year, we have decided to donate $1000 to the SickKids Foundation in Toronto to assist Raw Materials Company Inc. in their venture of supporting this foundation. The remaining funds will be put towards innovative technology.”

Rounding out the top three was newcomer Muskoka Christian School (MCS). Muskoka got off to a lightning fast start and really set the pace for several months. MCS plans to use its share of the prize to update the non-fiction section of the library, including the recycling and environment section. 

A portion of the prize pool will be donated to SickKids Foundation on behalf of all participants during a visit to the Hospital for Sick Children on June 21st, 2017. 

The OSBRC is meant to teach children and their families about the proper ways to handle, store and recycle batteries at home and at school. The program offers many free resources for educators and there is no cost for a school to participate. 

Prize money is awarded based on the total number of alkaline batteries recycled during the contest. For every kilogram of single-use alkaline batteries recycled, RMC pays money into a provincial prize pool to award the top three schools. 

Funding for the transportation and recycling of the batteries was provided through the Stewardship Ontario Orange Drop program. 

Since 2015, schools participating in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge have recycled more than 3 million household batteries. 100% of the alkaline batteries they recycled are reused and nothing is sent to the landfill. Recycling displaces the need to mine for the equivalent amount of raw materials from ore, a major cause of green-house gas emissions. 

To learn more about the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge, please visit www.rawmaterials.com.

About Raw Materials Company:
Raw Materials Company is the industry leading battery recycling company whose process achieves the highest recovery and recycling rate in North America. RMC was established in 1985 and employs 50 people in the community of Port Colborne, Ontario. RMC is an approved transporter and processor under the Stewardship Ontario Battery Incentive Program. 

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