What's New in Junior Landcare

Students from Forest Hill Public School, near Wagga Wagga in NSW have taken out the top award from 177 other schools from across Australia by collecting the most mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories for recycling as part of MobileMuster’s “I can do that” schools recycling challenge.

Held in November last year, the MobileMuster I can do that Schools Recycling Challenge is a joint initiative with Landcare Australia, where for every 30 kg of mobiles collected MobileMuster will donate $100 to Landcare Australia to help restore and protect critical bandicoot habitats.

A total of 178 schools including Forest Hill Public School participated in the challenge collecting just under 950 kilograms of mobiles, which included 8,400 handsets and batteries along with 430 kg of accessories. Rose Read, Manager of the Australian Mobile Telecommunication Association’s (AMTA), mobile phone recycling program, MobileMuster, said Forest Hill Public School rounded up 38 kg of mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories, 7 times the average school collection of just over 5 kg.

“As a result of the efforts of students and teachers at Forest Hill Public and the other 177 participating schools across Australia, the habitats of 32 bandicoots will be made predator proof and have new trees planted, in addition to the community gaining greater awareness of their plight.

“We congratulate the students of Forest Hill Public School for their wonderful recycling efforts. It is tremendous to see them working together with their teachers and families to help the environment” said Ms Read.

“Over 90% of the materials found in mobile phones can be recovered and used to make new products. The plastics from the handsets and chargers are shredded and combined with other plastics to make fence posts whilst various metals are recovered from circuit boards and batteries,” concluded Ms Read.

Landcare CEO Heather Campbell said “It is fantastic to see the Australian Mobile Telecommunication Association together with school communities across Australia supporting Landcare to help restore and protect critical bandicoot habitats.”

As National Winner of the recycling challenge Forest Hill Public School has won a Starboard FX-DUO 77” Interactive Whiteboard (valued at $3,449) courtesy of Hitachi Australia, projector and National School Champion Certificate. Students will also receive MobileMuster pencil packs.

State winners in the MobileMuster ’I can do that’ Schools Recycling Challenge were:

• Mundaring Primary School, Western Australia - 26kg
• Ignatius Park College, Cranbrook, Queensland - 18kg
• St Mary’s College, Hobart, Tasmania - 18kg
• St Augustine’s College, Kyabram, Victoria - 16kg
• St Thomas Primary School, Drysdale, Victoria - 16kg
• Durack Primary School , Northern Territory - 15kg
• Weetangera Primary School, Australian Capital Territory - 11kg
• St John the Apostle, Christies Beach, South Australia - 9kg

For their efforts, each school and their students received a School Champion certificate and every school that handed in 8kg of old mobiles and accessories or more for recycling received 10 great Milton MobileMuster and Billie Bandicoot Reward Packs!

Chloe Fox from St Mary’s College, Hobart, Tasmania, won the National MobileMuster Honour Roll Champion for collecting 121 mobile phone handsets. As a result Chloe Fox won a Family Experience Pack to the value of $250.

Recycling an old or broken mobile phone is simple and free:

1. Drop them off at your mobile phone retailer / local MobileMuster collection point - to find out where go to www.mobilemuster.com.au or call 1300 730 070
2. Pick up a free MobileMuster recycling satchel from Australia Post and post them in
3. Print off a reply paid mailing label from www.mobilemuster.com.au and post them in