Brazil Environment News
RIO DE JANEIRO — The fifth annual South American Cellphone Hurling Tournament occurred in Iguazu Falls, Southern Brazil Sunday, reported online media. Over four hundred people donated 2 kilograms each of non-perishable food for the right to take part in the event, held each year to raise awareness of proper disposal of electronic waste.
South American Cellphone Hurling Tournament
Winning the men’s division, Ricardo Borges de Oliveira hurled his cellphone over 99 meters (about 325 feet). Paola D’Avila Cardoso won the women’s division throwing her cellphone over 46 meters (about 153 feet). Winning the (unisex) laptop part of the event, Calixto Avelino Junior tossed his aging computer over 34 meters (about 113 feet).
According to event organizer Gabriel Antonio de Campos Neto, this year saw a record number of participants. “Last year, there were 313 competitors,” he told Terra.
The goal of the competition is to draw attention to the importance of properly disposing of electronic waste and batteries and to collect food for various organizations in the city. “This year, we estimate that we collected about 3 tons of food, which we will pass on to 10 institutions,” said the organizer.
They removed the batteries from all the electronics before the “launch” to avoid contaminating the environment during the tournament. After the contest, they sent the waste to a recycling cooperative for processing. The winners received hotel accommodation, tours, fine-dining and other gifts donated by local businesses.
In August, a Finnish teenager won a cellphone hurling contest by tossing his old Nokia phone over 101 meters. Ere Karjalainen, 18, said at the time that he prepared mostly “by drinking.”
