On 10/30/2022 3:15 PM, Mark Abramowitz via EV wrote:
Don’t forget that recycling of lead acid batteries contaminates the
communities around them, creating major health problems to those near
them and downwind.
Given that millions of lead-acid batteries are retired every year, it's
not surprising that you can find plenty of recycling success stories, as
well as plenty of failures.
In most developed countries, there are laws that dictate how to recycle
lead-acid batteries safely. There are also fees to encourage proper
recycling. Where I live (mid-state Minnesota), I get $5-$10 for a dead
lead-acid battery, and it gets recycled in an EPA inspected recycling
center. In developed countries, I think most lead-acid batteries are
being recycled safely.
But of course, there are always a few who can't be bothered to follow
the rules. Even in the US, I've rescued discarded lead-acid batteries
from dumps and ditches.
The situation was different in the past, and still is in some third
world countries today. Some of them are still following the hazardous
practices that were common 100 years ago.
Regarding the comment that 50% of lead comes from new mining: Remember
that lead is used for all sorts of things besides batteries; solder,
ammunition, metal alloys, glass and ceramic additives, radiation
shielding, lead weights, aviation gasoline... and much of that lead is
*not* recycled; it must be replaced by new mining. The US has largely
phased out all these other uses for lead, so batteries are the biggest user.
But in developing countries, only about 30% of lead is used for
batteries. They are still using lead in gasoline, pipes, roofing,
paints, and other products. China is the largest consumer of lead today;
and it ain't for car batteries!
Is it perfect? No, of course not -- nothing is. But overall, I think
lead-acid battery recycling is a success story. Far more so than any
other battery technology.
Lee
--
"#3 pencils and quadrille pads." -- Seymour Cray, when asked
what CAD tools he used to design the Cray I supercomputer
--
Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com
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