by Lorena Ávila Cantisani
Correspondent in Spain
Batteries are composed of different metals, such as mercury in button cell and alkaline batteries, or cadmium in rechargeable batteries. Other types also contain manganese, nickel and zinc. Not all batteries are the same, but they all have a high concentration of metals in their composition, which makes them toxic waste.
The development of technology has brought an increased consumption of batteries. Once batteries go flat and are no longer useful, they are disposed of anywhere, which is really hazardous to the environment. Batteries components can be reused provided they are properly recycled. A ton of batteries produce 600k of heavy metals.
The components of a single battery are enough to contaminate 40L of water during 50 years. If we think about this, we will be able to see the importance of recycling batteries more clearly.
How are batteries recycled?
The process starts by disposing batteries in proper containers. After that, they are carried to a recycling plant, where mercury is separated from other metals and materials which can be reused. Conventional batteries are chopped into small pieces within a nitrogen-refrigerated atmosphere. Once they are chopped, they are heated and condensed in a distiller.
A button cell battery can contaminate up to 600,000L of water.
In the plants for the treatment of mercury residues, such as Vaersa, in Buñol (Valencia, Spain), batteries are processed using a vacuum-thermal treatment, in which the mercury vaporizes. Vapor then passes to a combustion chamber where organic particles oxidize at a temperature of 800ºC. Finally, mercury goes through refrigerators, where it is condensed and turned into a liquid. The amount of mercury is not much, but it is 100% pure. Battery dust goes through different processes aimed at recovering the metals it contains. The useful ones are put to good use again, and the rest goes to the so-called landfills.
Other types of batteries are collected by authorized retailers, who take them to special disposal facilities.In Spain, the Ministry of the Environment regulates the processes that all types of toxic waste must go through, especially batteries.
There are also many organizations which collaborate in collecting spent batteries. ECOPILAS (Foundation for the Environmental Management of Batteries) was set up by the following companies: Cegasa, Duracell, Energizer, Phillips, Kodak and Sony, which are members of the Asociación Multisectorial de Empresas Españolas de Electrónica y Comunicaciones (ASIMELEC). The aim of this organization is to implement the first integrated system of batteries management in the field of electronics, and to make the disposal of batteries an easier task.
AERPAM (Asoc. Española de Recogedores de Pilas, Acumuladores y Móviles) promotes environmental education and awareness-raising activities through information campaigns.
Everybody, from producers, dealers, public organizations, NGOs, and the community as a whole must become aware of the importance and need of recycling these elements.
It is estimated that every person uses 10 batteries per year in Argentina, and that those batteries are incorrectly disposed of when they are no longer useful.
Brightly lit battery containers in shops and streets. Valencia, Spain
