Hard work pays off with the Return-It School recycling program

By Sandy Sigmund

With 2016 drawing to a close, Encorp Pacific (Canada) is reminding B.C. schools that there’s still time to have fun, raise money, and help keep our environment clean with the Return-It School program.

Since 2000, the Return-It School recycling program has provided schools with the tools and support to start beverage container recycling programs or boost existing ones. The program is free for any registered elementary, middle or high school in British Columbia, with two ways to participate. Schools can register as a Certified Return-It School or enter in the Return-It School contest, competing against schools across B.C. with a chance to win bonus cash prizes.

More than just about recycling beverage containers, the program helps teach valuable organizational, promotional, and fundraising skills, as well as fostering environmental leadership among the students.

One school that has really benefitted this year is Rossland Summit School, first-place winner of the Return-It School contest in the Elementary School, 301 – 450 student category. Students in the drama program worked tirelessly for five months raising money for an upcoming trip to New York City.

Deanne, parent of one of the students, sees the trip as a great way for the students to broaden their horizons.

“The drama trip to New York is an amazing opportunity for students from rural B.C. to be able to immerse themselves in a cultural experience. They are all terribly excited at the prospect of seeing not only Broadway

Organized annually by musicals, but also one of the most mul ticultural cities in the world.” Encorp Pacific, the program and mobile container pickup, all for free. The schools also get to keep

They promoted their fundraising provides everything all the deposit refunds from the colefforts through social media, school participating schools need lected containers. Winning schools newsletters, posters, and word-of- to take part, including in each category can take home up mouth. Two successful community recycling bins, online to $1,000 in bonus cash prizes to go bottle drives in April and May added to support, educational towards their fundraising needs. their substantial school bin collections, resources, in-class displays, Interested teachers, parents, and along with popcorn sales, school vari- and mobile container students can learn more about the ety shows, and bake sales. For Aidan, a Rossland Summit drama student, all the hard work has really been worth it. pickup, all for free. The schools also get to keep all the deposit refunds from Return-It School program and register at returnitschool.ca. About Encorp

“We have been working hard to the collected containers. Encorp Pacific (Canada) is a federraise money. I’m looking forward to Winning schools in each ally incorporated not-for-profit stewtraveling with my friends and seeing category can take home ardship corporation with beverage some great shows while we are [in up to $1,000 in bonus cash container management as its core New York].” prizes to go towards their business. Encorp is committed to deIt’s success stories like these that make the Return-It School program fundraising needs. veloping and managing a consumer-friendly and cost-effective system a big win for everyone involved, in to recover beverage containers from addition to helping divert millions of beverage containers from lo- consumers and ensure that they are recycled and not incinercal landfills. ated or landfilled. They also provide their stewardship services on

Organized annually by Encorp Pacific, the program provides ev- a contract basis to the electronics industry for the collection and erything participating schools need to take part, including recy- recycling of all regulated electronic products. To learn more about cling bins, online support, educational resources, in-class displays, Encorp Pacific (Canada), visit return-it.ca. n

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