Bigger and better School Recycling Contest returns

Building on a record year in 2000-2001, the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board�s (MMSB) School Recycling Contest for the 2001-2002 school year starts this month across the province. This year, MMSB will supply schools with new recycling bins, educational materials and matching recycling refunds.

"The School Recycling Contest teaches young people about the value of recycling both for the environment and for their schools," said Ralph Wiseman, Minister of Environment. "The response from young people across the province is tremendous. With the increased refund, schools have the opportunity to raise more money than last year for school and community projects."

During the 2000-2001 school year, participating schools recycled 5,678,263 beverage containers and earned $475,354 through their recycling refunds and matching funds. Based on the success of last years contest, MMSB anticipates paying $350,000 in matching refunds to schools this year.

Gordon Seabright, who chairs the MMSB, said: "The school contest demonstrates the impact education and awareness is having in boosting recycling rates across the province. With such growth in recycling over the past year, MMSB decided to provide the school contest with greater educational content. We want to build on our strength and see recycling in the province continue to grow." This year, MMSB will supply schools with more than 950 collection bins and thousands of collection bags to help with recycling efforts. MMSB is also supplying new educational materials, including a video that outlines the recycling process in the province, recycling activity sheets and projects for both teachers and students.

Media contact: Karen O�Neill, Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, (709) 753-0949
                      Diane Keough, Department of Environment, (709) 729-2575.

MMSB School Recycling Contest

• Goal: to increase the awareness of recycling and its environmental benefits to school-aged children and their families.
  
  
• The contest is open to all public and private schools in Newfoundland and Labrador teaching any of the grades K-12.
  
  
• MMSB will pay schools five cents for non-alcoholic beverage containers (including beer) and 10 cents for alcoholic containers.
  
  
• To receive matching refunds, participating schools must submit their recycling volumes to MMSB each month between October and June 15. Based on this information, MMSB will pay matching refunds to schools in December, March, May and June.
  
  
• This year, several educational components have been added to the contest, including a video outlining the recycling process in the province, as well as recycling activity sheets and projects for both teachers and students.
  
  
• MMSB will make monthly draws for promotional prizes made from recycled plastic bottles. These prizes include t-shirts, water bottles, pens and rulers.

• This year, MMSB will award 12 computers, valued at $1,500 each. These computers will be awarded through random draws which will take place each month between November and April.
  
  
• There are currently 273 schools registered in this year�s contest, which represents an 82 per cent participation rate.
  
  
• During the 2000-2001 school year, 275 schools participated in the contest, representing a 53 per cent increase from the previous year. More than 5.6 million containers were recycled with schools raising over $475,000 through their recycling efforts.

• The matching refund program is funded through the Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund which is administered by MMSB, a Crown agency established by the Department of Environment to develop, implement and, where appropriate, manage a variety of waste diversion programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2001 10 11                       10:30 a.m.