The National School Battery Collection Campaign has led to no less than 5,200kgs of batteries being collected by students during the campaign period. This figure was announced by George Pullicino, Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, during an event held recently to reward the winners of two competitions which were organised as part of this national campaign.

The aim of the National School Battery Collection Campaign was to raise awareness about the negative impact batteries can cause on our environment if disposed of incorrectly. It also focused on the proper disposal of batteries. The campaign centred on the Battery Buster Competition and was organised by WasteServ Ltd on behalf of the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and was supported and sponsored by FIMBank plc.

The winners of the Battery Buster Competition and the Battery Campaign PowerPoint Presentation Competition received their prizes during an awards ceremony presided over by the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, Mr Pullicino, WastServ Malta Ltd chairman Perit Ben Farrugia and FIMBank plc president Margrith Lütschg-Emmenegger.

The first prize of the Battery Buster Competition, consisting of a trip to Disneyland Paris, went to Gabriel Aquilina, while runners-up Raissa Pace, Zachary Dean Borg and Thomas Sammut received Nintendo Wii Consoles. Meanwhile the students who prepared the best four PowerPoint presentations on the campaign theme, namely Samaryah Sammut, Jaimie Armenie, Jonathan Schembri and Melanie Grima, received a laptop each. A “special recognition” prize, consisting of a Nintendo DS Console, went to Kirsten Abela Caruana. Kirsten accomplished the outstanding feat of collecting more than 7,200 batteries throughout the campaign.