Schools across Westmorland and Furness are being reminded that only one week remains in the county-wide school baa-ttery recycling campaign – and there is still plenty of time to ‘herd’ together their collections and help protect the environment.
The 2025/26 initiative, delivered by Westmorland and Furness Council in partnership with Cumberland Council, Biffa and Valpak Ltd, encourages pupils and their families to safely recycle used batteries rather than putting them in household waste.
Last year’s campaign saw an incredible 70% of the county’s primary schools take part, resulting in over two tonnes of batteries being collected, diverting them from ending up in general household waste or causing dangerous fires.
This year’s campaign, which closes on Friday 13 February 2026, is open to both primary and secondary schools, with free collection boxes available for any school wishing to take part. Once full, boxes can be swapped for free by emailing: hayley.slack@biffa.co.uk.
Improperly disposed batteries can be damaged during collection, transportation or treatment, potentially igniting and causing serious fires. With millions of batteries used and thrown away each year – the equivalent weight of more than 3,650 Herdwick sheep in Cumbria alone – the campaign aims to make safe disposal of used batteries, including AAs, AAAs, LR20s and lithium-ion batteries, simple and accessible.
To reward the efforts of local schools, the Councils are offering 12 book token prizes, including:
- 4 prizes of £300
- 4 prizes of £200
- 4 prizes of £100
Schools say the campaign is already motivating pupils. Jonathan Holdsworth, Business Manager at Patterdale School, which finished second in last year’s collection challenge, said:
“We’ve already sent off a load of batteries this year, and the pupils have really thrown themselves into the challenge. It’s been fantastic to see how engaged they are – from bringing in bags of batteries from home to encouraging friends and family to get involved too. Finishing second last year gave the whole school a real boost, and we’d absolutely love to build on that success. With just one week to go, we’re encouraging all our families to keep collecting and help us go even further this time around.”
Councillor Giles Archibald, Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, added:
“Schools across Westmorland and Furness, and indeed the county, have already shown fantastic commitment to this campaign, and with just one week left we’re encouraging everyone to keep going. Every battery recycled is one less risk to the environment and our waste crews.
“Our young people continue to lead the way in environmental action, and this initiative shows the real difference their efforts can make. As we head into the final days of the challenge, it’s a great opportunity for families to have a clear-out at home and recycle any old or used batteries safely.”
