Alkaline Battery Recycling Contest

alkaline_battery_recycling_contest2In an effort to educate local students about the importance of protecting the environment, CMSD hosts an annual Alkaline Battery Recycling Contest among local schools. At the beginning of each school year, local schools are invited to participate in the contest for a chance to raise money for their school by ensuring that household batteries are collected and recycled. The contest is FREE to join, and all schools within CMSD’s service area are eligible to participate!

Here’s how it works:

  • Each participating school is given designated containers to collect household batteries.
  • Once the school fills at least 4 containers with household batteries, the batteries are collected, weighed, and recycled.
  • Near the end of the school year, CMSD announces the awards and the total weight of household batteries collected by each school.

Awards:
battery_recycling_contest_2
  • Most batteries collected (by weight):
    • 1st place – $1,200
    • 2nd place – $1,000
    • 3rd place – $800
    • 4th place and beyond:
      • Over 1,000 lbs. collected – $500
      • 500 to 999 lbs. collected – $350
      • 100 to 499 lbs. collected – $300
      • 51 to 99 lbs. collected – $200
      • Under 50 lbs collected – $100

Important Safety Information:

  • This program is intended to collect alkaline batteries only. Below are the types and sizes that are accepted:
battery_recycling_contest_3

  • For 9 Volt batteries, it is required to place tape on the metal terminals before placing them in the collection container.
  • The following battery types are NOT accepted:
    • Rechargeable Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
    • Small Sealed Lead Acid (SSLA/Pb)
    • Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) over 9 volt
    • Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) over 9 volt and Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn) over 9 volt
    • Primary/Single-Use [Alkaline & Carbon Zinc over 12 volt]
  • NOTE: If any of the unacceptable battery types are mistakenly collected, they must be placed in plastic bags (one battery per bag) in order to avoid fire hazards. If plastic bags are unavailable, exposed battery terminals should be taped with non-conductive tape before placing them into a collection container.
If you represent a school within CMSD’s service area that wishes to participate in the contest, please contact District staff at (949) 645-8400 or email info@cmsdca.gov.

2022-2023 Winners
Participating School Total Weight of Batteries Collected (in lbs.) Awards
Davis Magnet School 2382  $             1,200.00
Paularino Elementary School 1958  $             1,000.00
Sonora Elementary School 1320  $                800.00
Kaiser Elementary School 1218  $                500.00
TeWinkle Middle School 892  $                350.00
California Elementary School 888  $                350.00
Estancia High School 690  $                350.00
Christ Lutheran School 491  $                300.00
Killybrooke Elementary School 483  $                300.00
Waldorf School of Orange County 445  $                300.00
Newport Heights Elementary School 410  $                300.00
Victoria Elementary School 278  $                300.00
Harper Elementary School (STEP Program) 252  $                300.00
A Child's Place Learning Center 233  $                300.00
Early College High School 224  $                300.00
St. John the Baptist School 189  $                300.00
Rea Elementary School 174  $                300.00