P.E.I. school celebrates sixth Battery Blitz win as recycling rises nationally

Kids in Cornwall, P.E.I. learn all about the importance of keeping batteries out of the landfill with a creative contest. Maria Sarrouh reports.

CORNWALL, P.E.I. - Students at P.E.I.’s Eliot River Elementary were charged up Wednesday as they celebrated another win in a multi-province battery recycling competition.

For the sixth year in a row, the Cornwall school beat dozens of others across the Island, Ontario and Alberta in the 2025 Fall Battery Blitz Contest, organized by Call2Recycle and delivered in partnership with the charity Earth Rangers. Students at the school collected more than 2,500 kilograms of used batteries.

Grade six student Chuck MacFarlane, 11, brought in four full bags from home.

“It really helps out the animals and the environment,” he said.

In P.E.I., 18 schools participated, rounding up nearly 7,000 kilograms of batteries.

“I don’t want batteries to end up in landfills,” said Clara Bernard, 11.

Students are encouraged to gather used dry-cell batteries under five kilograms in a non-metal container and drop them off in collection boxes sent to registered schools. The schools then ship them to Call2Recycle.

Jon McQuaid, the organization’s vice-president of marketing and communications, said the average Canadian household has about 100 batteries in use at any given time, powering everything from toothbrushes to e-scooters.

“Our mission is to ensure the awareness is out there about why it’s important batteries need to be recycled, especially at such a young age,” McQuaid said.

He adds that proper collection helps keep harmful materials out of soil and water and helps battery materials be repurposed. McQuaid says these materials can be reused in stainless-steel appliances, golf clubs, and new batteries.

“(They) could catch fire some of these batteries, and the chemicals could be harmful to the environment,” McQuaid said.

A community approach to recycling

Call2Recycle says Canadians recycled more than eight million kilograms of batteries through its programs in 2025, the highest annual collection total in the organization’s history.

Darren Ford, who works on Eliot River’s academic and behaviour resource team, helped spearhead the school’s efforts. He said the secret to the their success is community involvement.

“Once the news gets out here in this area, people catch on and participate,” he said.

The contest also comes with prize money. Eliot River was presented with a $3,000 cheque Wednesday.

Money from past wins has been used to create an outdoor classroom, referred to as the “Paw-vilion,” where students can read, learn and play games at recess.

“It’s taken a dead space and turned it into a lively space,” Ford said.

Although this is his last year at the school, he said he has no doubt students will continue the habit.

Cornwall Mayor Minerva McCourt also attended the recognition ceremony, telling students their efforts show how small actions can add up.

“It’s hard to believe that one little battery taken by one person, added together, can make such a big change in the world.”