More than 100,000 mobile phones have been collected under the EnviroFone recycling initiative launched at the UAE’s primary schools.

The EnviroFone Schools Project has been organised with the support of Emirates Foundation who have provided significant backing for the campaign, the group said in a statement.

Further support from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Ministry for Education has ensured each and every UAE primary school participation, it added.

EnviroFone drop boxes will be used at more than 400 primary schools across the country to gather unused mobile phones handed in by pupils, parents and teachers.

The school which collects the most mobile phones on average per pupil will win a school mini bus donated by AW Rostamani. Meanwhile, an environmental art competition for pupils will reward winners in two age categories, 4-7yrs and 8-11yrs, with prizes from HP of laptops, printers and digital cameras.

Volunteers from the Takatof scheme, part of Emirates Foundation, will be supporting and visiting all primary schools in the UAE to help generate interest in the competition and raise awareness of the wider issues about recycling and protecting the environment.

“Both the UAE education authority and the schools themselves have responded very positively to the campaign, recognising that we have an excellent chance to raise awareness of environmental concerns and educate pupils about the responsibility we all share to protect our environment,” said EnviroFone Managing Director Stuart Fleming.

“We are looking forward to seeing the artwork we receive from the schools pupils’ competitions and think there will be some really unique environmental messages,” said Emirates Foundation Communications Manager Maytha Al Habsi. “This initiative brings together education, environment and charity. Our volunteers are excited about visiting the schools and helping the teachers raise awareness of such vital issues.”

“We are excited to support the latest initiative from the EnviroFone campaign, which has already raised awareness of vital issues in the UAE. Getting children and young people behind this campaign is an important step in ensuring the whole community understands why we need to protect our planet,” said Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, Head of Environmental Education Projects at the KHDA.

The EnviroFone campaign, which was launched in June 2007 under the patronage of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), aims to collect 250,000 mobile phone handsets for recycling by the end of the year. 

Drop boxes are located at Enoc petrol stations in Dubai, all Adnoc petrol stations in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, Etisalat and du business centres, Al Rostamani currency exchange houses, Spinneys supermarkets, Magrudy’s Book Stores, Lamcy Plaza in Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre, Sharjah City Centre, Ajman City Centre and FedEx locations in the UAE. – TradeArabia News Service