Girl Scouts present battery- and e-cigarette-waste recycling project to Parks Board

Members of Girl Scout Troop 4960 described a community recycling and education project that places battery collection bins at the Flower Mound Public Library and the Community Activity Center and that attempts to reduce improper disposal of e-cigarette and battery waste.

‘‘My name is Navia Gupta,’’ said one presenter, introducing the group. The scouts said their silver-award project included outreach at community events, collaboration with Keep Flower Mound Beautiful, and redesign of a public recycling document. They told the board the troop called 64 local businesses to confirm recycling services and staffed education booths at Smoke and Whiskey Fest, BidoFest and Eco Action Day; they reported reaching 27 people at those events as part of their outreach.

The scouts said they built and placed two battery collection bins with updated signage — one at the Flower Mound Public Library and one at the Community Activity Center — and that they collect batteries monthly. ‘‘I mainly learned… how dangerous lithium and alkaline batteries are,’’ one troop member said, adding that many residents are unaware that such batteries can cause fires or environmental harm if disposed of improperly.

The scouts also explained outreach to local vape shops and said that while most shops did not adopt signage, one shop reported customer inquiries and interest in establishing recycling through Republic Services; another declined to display signage. Board members asked whether the program would continue; the troop replied they plan to pick up batteries and manage the collection bins monthly ‘‘all the way through high school’’ — approximately four years.

The scouts thanked their mentor, Marilyn Lawson, and asked the board for questions. Board members praised the work and invited the troop to return with an update in future years.