Why battery recycling

When batteries begin to break down think of that old flashlight with the oozing battery gunk , the chemicals may leach into the ground reacting to rainwater that seeps into the landfill forming a toxic soup, called leachate, that can get into the ground water contaminating the supply.

Recycling batteries is an easy way to help keep heavy metals out of the landfill and protect our environment. There are three basic types of batteries: the wet-cell battery, the dry-cell non-rechargeable, and the dry-cell rechargeable. The dry-cell non-rechargeable battery is the kind you use around the house and rummage through drawers looking for when the remote stops working.

This variety of battery can be further classified into the following types:. The dry-cell rechargeable battery, also commonly used in the home can be further classified as:. All batteries must be sorted by chemistry to prepare them for recycling. The goal of battery recycling is to recover the various component materials e. The chemical composition of batteries is what contributes to high levels of toxicity in the environment.

Chemicals like cadmium are harmful to humans, as well as other animal and plant life. In the landfills, heavy metals that leak from the dead batteries can mix with ground soil and cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem thereby affecting plant and animal life.

At the incinerators, the burnt batteries release toxic gases containing the heavy metals. Recycling batteries is important for a number of reasons. Battery Recycling Fact number 1: Environment. When improperly disposed of, batteries can leak heavy harmful metals, such as nickel, cadmium and lithium which contaminate our local soils, groundwater, and streams. If incinerated, batteries release toxic gases containing heavy metals into the atmosphere. Battery Recycling Fact number 2: Health.

Harmful toxins can be ingested by wildlife, which may eventually make their way up the food chain and into the human body which can cause severe health problems!

Battery Recycling Fact number 3: We love Tech. Technology has increased our reliance on batteries. Other recovered materials are recycled in separate processes. The hydrometallurgical recycling process involves a chemical precipitation methodology that allows scarce minerals to be recovered from the black mass and delivered to battery manufacturers for reuse in the production of new batteries.

We are continuously looking into different ways and processes to extract a higher yield and higher purity from the battery materials. We are building a new,state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical plant in Harjavalta, Finland.

The new plant will enable us to expand our recycling capacity of lithium-ion batteries and the production of sustainable battery chemicals. The new Harjavalta facility will help to meet the rising demand for recycled battery materials and enable the sustainable recovery of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, all of which are essential in the manufacturing of new EV batteries.

How do I recycle my batteries? Just drop them off at the nearest battery bin. To find out more click HERE. You may keep batteries in your work space for 1 month; then they should be placed in a recycling bin or picked up by Recycling.

All batteries should be segregated by category to facilitate proper shipping to the appropriate recycling center. Batteries may be boxed, enclosed in ziplock bags, envelopes, or taped together, etc. Specific consideration should be given to the weight and size of the entire package to ensure that it remains intact during the pickup, handling and transportation. A ll rechargeable batteries, and lithium or magnesium single-use batteries should have the terminals taped for safe transportation.

Use non-conductive tape and place it around the top and bottom of the batteries. What about leaking or damaged batteries? These batteries should be containerized securely and labeled as "leaking batteries" preferably in double ziplock or plastic bags appropriate for their size and weight. Do not mix the broken batteries with intact cartridges, since the entire batch will be contaminated with corrosive waste and require additional vendor labor to process properly for shipping and disposal.

Which batteries are best choices for purchase? Rechargeable batteries are your best buy for your wallet and the environment. NiMH is the best option for purchase. Remember to recharge your batteries right before you use them to get the maximum charge. Reusing batteries not only minimizes the quantity sent for disposal and recycling, it is also cost effective.

Physical Plant Recycling will pick up the container.