Education is not the only export Maltese schools are churning out, as over the past two scholastic years schools collected over 14tons of batteries, which are now being sent to Italy.

Today, students from St Patrick’s School, the Mqabba and Kirkop primary schools and Newark Junior School gathered at Wasteserv’s Civic Amenity site in Mrieħel to see off the batteries they collected being sent off on a container.

The batteries the students collected are part of 71 tons collected in the country over the past four years, Wasteserv chairman Ben Farrugia told the young students.

He said that by 2012, the country would have to recycle 25 per cent of all the batteries it used, and the number would increase by 45 per cent in 2015.

The numbers seem to be on track however – in 2009, Wasteserv collected 13 per cent, while in 2010 17 per cent were collected. This, Mr Farrugia said, excluded car batteries, which were sent for recycling by the private sector.

Speaking at the site in Mrieħel, Resources Minister George Pullicino said the country was recycling more and more, and in the past 18 months alone, 40,000 electrical goods were taken in for recycling, and that was excluding 30,000 televisions and monitors.

Mr Pullicino also urged people to reduce the use of batteries by using rechargable ones, which also carry a lower eco contribution.