MobileMuster, the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry, is launching the 2009 ‘Old Phones, New Fence Posts’ Schools Recycling Challenge at Labertouche Primary School on Wednesday 22 April.

The ‘Old Phones, New Fence Posts’ Schools Recycling Challenge, is a month long challenge where for every 5kg of old mobile phones handed in for recycling by schools during May, MobileMuster and Australian Composite Technology (ACT) will donate 1 Plasmar fence post to communities affected by the Victorian bush fires.

Labertouche Primary School was affected by the Victorian bush fires and as a result, now requires new fence posts for the school grounds. MobileMuster and Australian Composite Technology (ACT) have chosen the school and surrounding areas in the Baw Baw Shire, to be the official recipients of the Plasmar fence posts.

Over 90% of the materials found in mobile phones can be recovered and used to make new products. The plastics from handsets and chargers are shredded and combined with other plastics to make Plasmar fence posts, produced locally in Melbourne by Australian Composite Technology (ACT). This includes the plastic fence posts that will be donated to the Baw Baw Shire.

School registrations for the Schools Recycling Challenge close on May 1 and the Challenge runs throughout May and into June culminating in World Environment Day on June 5.

Schools can register for the “Old Phones, New Fence Posts” Schools Recycling Challenge, by visiting www.mobilemuster.com.au or contacting the MobileMuster Schools Challenge Coordinator, via email schools@amta.org.au or by calling 1300 306 162.

MobileMuster is aiming to collect 3,600 kg of mobile phones and donate 720 fence posts to Labertouche Primary School and the Baw Baw Shire by World Environment Day on 5 June.

Every school participating in the challenge will receive a free MobileMuster pack including a collection box, posters, MobileMuster Student Honour Roll and educational DVD explaining what happens to mobile phones once they are handed in for recycling

Students and schools will also be rewarded for their efforts. The student who collects the most mobile phones at their school receives a School Champion certificate. The student who collects the most mobile phones in their state will receive a Milton Book Pack to the value of $100.

The student who collects the most mobile phones for recycling nationally will receive a Milton Family Experience Pack to the value of $250.

Every school that hands in 8kgs or more for recycling will receive a Milton Mobile Reward Pack, which includes backpacks, stationery packs and slap band wrist watches. The school who collects the highest weight nationally will win an electronic prize pack to the value of $1,500.