The convenience of portable electrical energy in the form of batteries has the side effect of producing massive amounts of battery waste. Recycling efforts have turned the resulting pollution around and now lead-acid batteries have the highest recycling rate of any material in the US at 93%. The ability to recharge and reuse those batteries helps to reduce the waste generated, but smaller batteries are still mostly single-use and contribute excessive waste to the environment.
What Are Lead-Acid Batteries?
Lead-acid batteries are rechargeable batteries that are found throughout the world and are commonly referred to as “car batteries.” These batteries are made up of lead plates and sulfuric acid that are contained in a plastic case. The lead from used lead-acid batteries (ULABs) that have lost their ability to hold a charge is commonly recycled.
How Does Recycling Lead-Acid Batteries Create Lead Pollution?
Unregulated and informal recycling of lead-acid batteries, often conducted in homes or backyards, can lead to high levels of environmental lead contamination. These processes usually involve breaking the ULABs open by hand or with an axe, which can lead to the improper release of battery acid into the surrounding soil. Once the batteries are broken open, the lead is removed and often melted in rudimentary stoves that allow lead dust to escape and contaminate the surrounding air, water and soil.
What Are the Human Exposure Pathways for Lead from Lead-Acid Battery Recycling?
The most common exposure pathway for lead is through the inhalation or ingestion of lead dust. Young children are particularly at risk of lead exposure because of their proximity to the ground and hand-to-mouth tendencies. Because lead battery scraps are often left out in the open, it is common for children playing in or around these dump sites to inadvertently pick up stones or soil contaminated with lead.
What Are the Health Risks Associated with Lead Exposure?
The health effects of exposure to lead can be both acute and chronic, and the problems caused by lead poisoning are particularly dangerous and severe for children. Health problems associated with lead poisoning can include reduced I.Q., anemia, neurological damage, physical growth impairments, nerve disorders, pain and aching in muscles and bones, memory loss, kidney disorders, fatigue, and headaches. Exposure to high concentrations of lead can cause seizures, delirium, coma, and in some cases, death.
Fact Sheet Lead-Acid Battery Recycling and Lead Pollution Blacksmith
Dry cell batteries used in smaller devices contain alkaline, carbon zinc, mercuric-oxide, silver-oxide, zinc, and lithium, which are dangerous pollutants if not properly disposed of. Recycling these batteries is one effective way to cut down on those minerals entering the ecosystem as pollution, but replacing those single-use batteries with rechargeable ones makes a much greater impact.
Sales of rechargeable batteries are increasing yearly, selling at about twice the rate of disposables today. That's a good start, but still leaves much room for improvement. Eventually, rechargeables lose their effective ability to power devices and must be disposed of through recycling programs, but the savings both in environmental and economic terms is significant.
With Texas being one of the three states with the most battery waste collected, the opportunity to set an example for responsible use and disposal is here. There are many places to recycle spent batteries, with some free services available around the country.
Call2Recycle, North America’s only free battery and cell phone collection program, announced a record-breaking collection of 6.7 million pounds of rechargeable batteries, a 10.1 percent increase from its 2009 collection rate.
Battery Recycling - Earth911.com
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