Recycling of used lead acid batteries
Practical Action
Next to lead, also emissions of Antimony and Arsenic can take place which both are known as
toxic substances. Furthermore Arsenic is known as carcinogenic (CE, 2000). Sulfuric acid is
a highly corrosive acid which can destroy tissues of living organisms (UNEP, 2002).
Environment
The manufacturing as well as the recycling (smelting) of lead acid batteries can have negative
impacts on the environment (Avellaneda de la Calle, 2002):
Air: Emission of lead (and other heavy metals) dust and fumes.
Soil: Spilling and leaking of acid from the batteries directly to the soil. Leaching
of acid and lead salt due to improper processing.
Water: Spilling and leaking of acid to water surfaces. Direct dilution of lead salts in water or
through rain water when present in soil.
These emissions can pollute the soil and poison the ground water with negative effects on the
ecosystems (plants, animals, humans).
International legislation
As used lead acid batteries are regarded as hazardous waste, various laws, decrees and
guidelines are developed on international and European level to deal with these materials. For
used lead acid batteries often specific legislation is developed in combination with household
batteries.
United Nations
On an international level the Basel convention is very important for both used lead acid
batteries. Furthermore the Secretariat of the Basel Convention has set up guidelines for a safe
treatment of used lead acid batteries.
Basel Convention (source: www.basel.int)
In March 1989, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, was adopted. The treaty entered into force in 1992.
Drawing on the principles of environmentally sound management, the convention seeks to
protect human health and the environment from the risk posed by hazardous wastes. This will
require changing the economic equation for wastes in order to motivate the producers of
hazardous wastes and people who benefit from the associated goods to take action. To do
this, the convention sets out a three step strategy (UNEP 2002):
1. Minimizing the generation of wastes.
2. Treating wastes as near as possible to where they were generated.
3. Minimizing international movements of hazardous wastes.
Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of Waste Lead-acid
Batteries (source: www.basel.int)
These guidelines offer managers a set of best practices and principles for setting up effective
systems for recycling batteries. They describe how to collect, transport and store used
batteries; give specifications for the storage chambers and transport facilities; describe how
batteries delivered to the recycling plant should be drained of their electrolytes, identified,
segregated, and stored; explain how the recovered lead must be refined in order to remove
unwanted contaminants; and address medical issues and public awareness. The Guidelines
conclude that the most effective approach to collection is to rely on manufacturers, retailers,
wholesalers and service stations to retain old batteries at the time new ones are provided to
the customer.
European Union
The European Union wants less hazardous substances in batteries and wants to improve
collection and recycling. Therefore a new directive was established in 2006:
Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006
on batteries and accumulators
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