With 2,773 appliances collected, IKC Merwede from Hardinxveld-Giessendam won first place in the E-waste Race 2024. Between 11 March and 4 April, they competed against nine other primary schools in the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden to collect as many discarded and broken electronic devices as possible. Mayor Dirk Heijkoop of Hardinxveld-Giessendam municipality and education officer Ozan Cimen handed over the prize to the proud school on 4 April. They won a visit to Nemo Science Museum in Amsterdam.
It became an exciting final battle between the fanatical schools. Children went door-to-door with flyers telling local residents about the race. Neighbours could offer old electronic appliances - from kettles to DVD players, and straighteners to coffee makers - online. After which students came to collect the appliances from their homes. Children who had e-waste repaired received extra points for their school. In the end, the children of IKC Merwede managed to collect an impressive 2,773 appliances within four weeks. A great achievement as they managed to do this with just 13 enthusiastic pupils. Which amounts to an average of 213 devices per pupil. SmdB de Regenboog, also from Hardinxveld-Giessendam, finished a fine second place. They collected 5,317 devices with 35 pupils, an average of 152 devices per pupil.
17,424 devices for reuse and recycling
In total, the ten primary schools collectively collected as many as 17,424 old and broken electronic devices, and 22 devices were given a new life via Marketplace. Thanks to the successful school battle, these devices do not end up in the residual waste, but are reused and recycled. A great development, as currently half of the electronic waste in the Netherlands is still not recycled. Often, old devices disappear in a drawer, in the attic or with the residual waste, even though they are full of valuable materials and raw materials.
Give e-waste a second life
Do you have any e-waste lying around at home? Hand it in free of charge at the recycling centre, at the shop or online service where you buy a new similar appliance or at shops and DIY stores with a collection point near you. This way, your old appliance can also be recycled.
Battle between ten primary schools
Participating in the E-waste Race 2024 were: CBS de Regenboog (location Retranchement) & KBS Mariëngaarde from the municipality of Gorinchem, IKC Merwede, de Wonderwijzer, de Driemaster (location Pietersweer) and SmdB de Regenboog from the municipality of Hardinxveld-Giessendam, SmdB de Zaaier and the Eben-Haëzerschool from the municipality of Molenlanden and SmdB het Fundament and OBS de Springplank from the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden. Participation in the race contributes to a sustainable cycle of valuable raw materials, promotes positive behavioural change and raises awareness about e-waste recycling among pupils and their immediate environment.