All about Battery Recycling
September 11, 2013
In today’s world, people belonging to the upper middle class, own a car or any form of automobile for their personal commutation. Some automobiles run with the help of batteries and therefore there has been an introduction of a newer and eco friendly activity of recycling the batteries instead of purchasing newer ones. This activity has come up to be the most sought after method of recycling products.
Battery recyclingis done only after knowing the inner contents of the particular battery that is to be recycled. Batteries usually contain heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel that are specifically customized to react with electrolytes and in turn it produces electricity. These heavy metals, especially lead can be highly dangerous to the environment when contaminated with water or land. Therefore, laws have ensured the Lead content in these batteries needs to be recycled to create newer Lead batteries or other products that contain Lead.
How are Batteries Recycled?
Developed countries like USA, UK, and Japan have certain amenities that enable battery recycling in its correct process. The casings are removed to extract the metals and acids present inside the batteries. The lead is sent for creating newer batteries and the acids are neutralized using alkaline solutions and then tested if they are still fatal. If they are not found harmful, they are released to sewers that dispose the off safely or there can be another alternative in creating sodium sulphate that is usually used to make detergents, glass materials and also used in the textile manufacturing units.
Apart from the rising trend in recycling Automobile Batteries, there are options of recycling the other batteries that we use in our mobile phones, torches, watches, clocks etc. Zinc Carbon Batteries are separated into three parts zinc and manganese concentrates, plastics and paper are separated and the steel separated from it. These parts are sent to manufactures that use these components in creating newer products. Lithium batteries are shredded or beaten and the electrolytes are neutralized with basic caustic solution. Ferrous and non ferrous materials are separated and sold to metal scrap dealers who in turn create newer materials.
Batteries and Nature
The trend of recycled batteries has still not caught up in the developing countries where there aren’t any facilities of recycling services. In developed countries where recycled batteries are available, customers find it cheaper than buying new batteries. Recycled batteries save on newer production of plastic casings and newer extraction of metals for filling up these batteries. This in turn save the environment and saves the extinction of the materials that are used in batteries. It is in a way refurbishing batteries for the use of people.