UzhNU joined the movement "Batteries, hand over!" and collected about 32 kg of batteries for recycling

The staff of Uzhhorod National University attaches great importance to supporting the environmental safety of the region. In particular, UzhNU systematically participates in eco-activities. In March, the Centre for Innovation and Development of UzhNU successfully implemented the eco-activity "Uzhhorod for a Clean Environment", dedicated to Earth Day. At that time, concerned Uzhhorod residents had the opportunity to bring sorted waste to the UzhNU administration and exchange it for eco-gifts. These events encouraged Uzhhorod residents to join the collection of used batteries for recycling. And now the university is marked on the all-Ukrainian map of reliable battery collection points.

UzhNU, together with the "Batteries, hand over!" movement, with the support of the Epicentre network and battery brands VARTA, Duracell, GP Batteries, Hausmar, send the collected batteries for recycling, not to the ground. After all, just 1 used battery can contaminate 16 m² of land with toxic substances for 50 years. Every year, more than 200 million new batteries are imported to Ukraine, but 94% of them end up in landfills and pollute our environment.

For several months, UzhNU has been collecting finger-type batteries and accumulators, tablet batteries, batteries from mobile phones and laptops. Thus, in a few months, UzhNU employees and students collected as much as 32 kg of batteries. The Epicentre chain will pay for the recycling of the batteries collected at the university on a regular basis, together with the battery brands sold there: VARTA, Duracell, GP Batteries and Hausmark. UzhNU was selected and became a partner in the project.

Alyona Almashii, Director of the Centre for Innovation and Development at UzhNU, says: "Depending on the type of battery: alkaline, lithium, or other, they will be sent for recycling to one of the plants in Europe: Recupyl in Poland, Erasteel in France, Fenix in the UK. We currently collect too few batteries in Ukraine to set up such a plant. The resources extracted from batteries do not cover the cost of the plant's daily operation. In Europe, battery recycling is financed by the battery manufacturer. In Ukraine, such a system is being built by the "Batteries, hand over!" movement, involving partners - importers and manufacturers of batteries, as well as retailers selling batteries."

There are many people and companies in Ukraine that collect batteries, but these batteries do not reach recycling: they are thrown away or dumped somewhere in a warehouse to avoid paying for recycling and to do only eco-promotion. Therefore, a map of reliable collection points was created. So it is very important that UzhNU has become a reliable battery collection point.

 

 

 

• Policy of the Resilience and Sustainable Development,
• Social activities,
• Centre of Innovation and Development