E-waste Race – returning materials from electronics to the chain!

The E-waste Race is an educational competition between ten primary schools to learn about resources, circular economy, sustainable use of electronics and to collect old electronic devices. Children  follow a guest lecture about reusing, reducing and recycling of electronics and bringing back valuable materials into the chain.

Then they start collecting e-waste in their neighborhood. Through the website ewasterace.nl residents can submit their old electronic devices, mostly smaller household electronics. Children pick up the items and bring them to school. The children can also bring old electronics to school, from their family, friends and neighbors.The school who collects the most e-waste wins an educational and fun school trip. The project was initiated in 2014 with four races and currently more than 45 races annually are organized. 

All the collected e-waste the children collect is recycled, which means that so the valuable metals and other resources in it are brought back in to the chain. 

On the 1st of February 2021 E-waste Race was awarded the Dutch Circular Award Public 2021. “The circular transition is a process of many years and preparing the youth is a crucial factor for acceleration”, says jury chairman Dr. Oscar van den Brink (Nouryon, initiator KIA-CE).” For the next step, the jury challenges the initiators to think about how the circular impact can be increased.

One race helps to save up to 20.000 kg CO2

E-waste Race was founded in 2014 by Timmy de Vos after he won a competition about new inventive ICT concept to collect e-waste. E-waste Race cooperates with municipalities and waste processors and works together with Stichting Open and Weee Nederland.

Over 155 races are organized since the launch of the project 9 years ago. To date more than 1500 school teams in the Netherlands participated in the races and more than 2,5 million of old electronic devices (an average of 14.000 kg per race) were collected, which saves almost 20.000 kg CO2.  

The impact is now crossing the Dutch borders. Since 2020 is the E-waste Race active in Germany in collaboration with the local partner Das Macht Schule. Since 2020, 12 races have been organized in major cities including Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne. In 2023, 18 races will be realized in Germany. This same year, the E-waste Race will start up in Spain. Local partner Setem (Catalonia) will realize an E-waste Race in Barcelona, in the fall of 2023.  

Impact of Race Against Waste was also recognized by different awards in the Netherlands and abroad. E-waste Race won the Energy Globe Award Netherlands of 2017.

On the 1st of February 2021 E-waste Race was awarded the Dutch Circular Award Public 2021. “The circular transition is a process of many years and preparing the youth is a crucial factor for acceleration”, says jury chairman Dr. Oscar van den Brink (Nouryon, initiator KIA-CE).” For the next step, the jury challenges the initiators to think about how the circular impact can be increased.

Textiel Race (Textile Race) – giving a second life to textiles!

The Textiel Race is an educational competition between ten primary schools to learn about resources, circular economy, sustainable use of textiles and how to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle textiles. During this project, children follow an introductory lecture about the resources in textiles (including water, cotton, polyester), the production of textiles and the social and climate effects that are occurring in textile chains. 

After the guest lecture, children start a campaign in which they organize textile and clothing reparations, clothing swaps and textile collection in their neighborhood. Through the website textielrace.nl residents can submit their used textiles, mostly clothes and household linen. Children pick up the textile bags and bring them to school. The children can also bring their used textiles to school, from their family, friends and neighbors. The school who collects the most points by repairing, swapping and collecting textiles, wins an educational and fun school trip. The project was initiated in 2020 and since then, Race Against Waste was able to organize 21 races in the Netherlands. 

All the collected textile of the children is reused, which means that clean textiles are collected and  properly sorted and recycled into rewearable items and reusable textiles. 

Textiel Race was founded in 2020 by Timmy de Vos, after the development of the successful E-waste Race. The E-waste Race and Textiel Race cooperate with municipalities and waste processors.

To date more than 307.545 KG used textiles have been collected and 6145 items have been repaired. On average, 55% of the collected textiles are reusable, leading to saving 201.369 KG CO2 per race (!). 

Since 2022, the Textile Race is also active in France and Spain. In 2022, the first Textile Race was organized in Marseille, supported by Refashion. In the Spring of 2023, the first Textile Race will be organized in Barcelona, by the local partner Setem (Catalonia). 

In 2022, the Textiel Race received the Golden Circle Award. 

Energy Race – save energy yourself!

The Energy Race is an educational competition between ten primary schools to learn about energy, energy sources, the sustainable use of energy and very pragmatic ways to save energy. The project follows the concept of the E-waste Race and Textiel Race, but children are challenged to save as much energy as possible at home, in school and in the neighborhood. In a playful manner, children learn how to be an entrepreneur. They take on a role as manager, campaigner, reporter or energy saver. In every role, they can score points for their energy saving actions and their energy savings campaigns. 

The project is a collaboration between Fawaka Ondernemersschool and Race Against Waste and initiated in 2022. The first pilot was a success! 166 energy saving actions were implemented and 142 Energieboxen were spread in the municipality Eindhoven. From 2023 the project is available throughout the Netherlands.