CEIP El Cuchillo and Capellanía de Yágabo, the ones that recycle the most batteries

The acting councilor of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Esther Machín, and the president of Spain of Ecopilas, José Pérez, together with the Island Delegate of Education, Flor Alonso, and the Education Inspector, Rafael Bailón, presented on the morning of this Friday, June 12, the awards of the third edition of the school contest "¡Ponte las pilas!", which has been carried out through the Lanzarote Recicla campaign throughout the school year.

In this edition, the 24 educational centers that have participated in the contest have managed to collect a total of 2,212 kilograms of used batteries that will receive appropriate treatment, thus avoiding the contamination of our environment and island territory.
In this contest, again the CEIP Capellanía del Yágabo proves to be at the forefront in recycling, reaching the prize of 600 euros in endowment and school material for the center for the 575 kilograms of used batteries delivered; as well as the CEIP El Cuchillo (unitary school of Tinajo) that with only 21 students in the entire center have been able to collect 230 kilograms of used batteries; this is 10.95 kilos per student, which has made them also worthy of another prize of 600 euros, by Ecopilas, for endowment and school equipment.

The dynamics of the contest has been based on the participation of each educational center, which has had a Battery Collector (ECOPILAS container made of cardboard and small dimensions), where the members of the educational community, teachers, students and parents, mothers or guardians, have deposited their used batteries throughout the school year. Once the container is full, ECOPILAS has removed the batteries to manage them in an authorized waste manager within the Integrated Management System of Ecopilas.

Both the president of Ecopilas Spain and the acting councilor of Waste and the Education Inspector, transferred to the 24 participating centers, to the parents, mothers, guardians, teachers, students, family, friends and staff of the center in general, "their gratitude and congratulations for the more than 2,100 kilograms of used batteries that have been recycled, recovered and that will leave our island, preventing them from polluting the environment since they will receive appropriate treatment".

It is worth noting in the present edition, the increase in the number of participating educational centers (they have gone from 20 to 24 centers) and the new incorporation of secondary education centers to this edition of the contest.

In turn, Councilor Esther Machín stressed that "the great involvement of teachers in raising awareness among students and the collaboration of families in this recycling project is remarkable." This has been reflected in how the recycling of used batteries has become a daily and normal habit in the educational activity of schools.

Ecopilas

The Foundation for the Environmental Management of Batteries "ECOPILAS", registered in the register of foundations of the Ministry of Environment, has been working since its origins in the design and organization of an Integrated Management System for waste batteries, accumulators and used batteries, in compliance with current community, state and regional regulations.

This is possible through the adhesion to the SIG of producers or importers, agents, intermediaries, or any person or company responsible for placing on the market products that with their use become waste batteries and batteries. This system allows the correct management and recycling of thousands of batteries annually.

Specifically, through its network of more than 30,000 collectors, Ecopilas collects annually about 3,000 tons of batteries, the equivalent of 35% of those placed on the market by producers.