E-Waste Reduction Week:  A Joint Initiative for a Sustainable Future

 The Siġġiewi Local Council (SLC) is partnering with The Scout Association of Malta Siġġiewi Scout Group (SSG) in taking part in this year’s European Waste Reduction Week with a project focused on electronic waste (e-waste). Throughout the week, both entities will be combining awareness, collection, and creativity to highlight the importance of reducing, recycling and the adequate walk through to be followed for the disposal of e-waste.

Key activities include:

• Collection drives at HQ and in different areas of Siġġiewi, supported by the local council.
• Creative quiz for the community to learn about e-waste
• Awareness videos, reels and posts by SSG members, explaining proper recycling, busting e-waste myths, and showing simple repair skills.
• Printed flyers with colouring page for families to take part in the campaign. Designed by SSG and distributed by SLC.
• Special Halloween initiative – “Trick or Treat Batteries Please!” – to encourage safe battery disposal.

Throughout the campaign, we will also run an online awareness drive, sharing facts, how-to guides, and interactive posts to engage the community. At the end of the week, we will share the impact results, showing how many devices were collected, repaired, and how many people we reached.

Our aim is to raise awareness about the dangers of improper e-waste disposal, promote recycling, and encourage everyone to think twice before throwing away their old devices.

Programme of events as part of our action:

1. Trick or Treat… Batteries Please!

This Halloween, swap sweets for sustainability – give us your used batteries and help keep our environment safe. (Household battery sizes: AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, and button cells)

This is a kick off event and will be continued during the drop off collection drive as highlighted in point 2 below.

2. Collection drive

A number of collection drives will be done within the locality throughout the week. The locations include the SSG HQ, Siġġiewi primary school and another two outdoor locations (weather permitting). Residents who cannot participate in these collection drives can easily opt to drop e-waste at the local council premises during office hours. Data recording sheets will be used to collect statistical data particularly whether these collection drives during the evening were beneficial for the general public.

3. Online Campaign

Week Before:
Launch teaser post on social media

Day 1

A short video explaining e-waste and the project.

Distribution of the above mentioned Printed flyers with colouring page to all Siggiewi residents. The same flyer will also be distributed during the collection drives highlighted in point 2 above.

Day 2

Did You Know? Facts. Posts on social media explained a number of facts about e-waste

 Day 3

E-Waste Myths Busted. Posts on social media busting a few myths about e-waste

 Day 4

Mini How-To Guides → short reels showing:

• How to wipe data from a phone before donating.
• How to safely recycle batteries.
• How to extend device life (cleaning dust, updating software).

 Day 5

Creative e-waste online quiz for the community and an interactive quiz for SSG members during the weekly meeting.

Day 6

Presentation for SSG members on how to repair a faulty plug and check a battery

Day 7

A post highlighting the impact results for example: “We collected 80 devices, fixed 12, educated 200 people!”