Batteries and our Environment

In 2001 we bought 680 million batteries in the UK, most of these (89%) were general purpose batteries.
It is estimated that in 2000, almost 19,000 tonnes of waste general purpose batteries and 113,000 tonnes of waste automotive batteries required disposal in the UK.
Currently, only a very small percentage of consumer disposable batteries are recycled (less than 2%) and most waste batteries are disposed of in landfill sites. The rate for recycling of consumer rechargeable batteries is estimated to be 5%.

"The average household uses 21 batteries a year. The UK generates 20,000 - 30,000 tonnes of general purpose waste batteries every year, but less than 1,000 tonnes are actually recycled."

Whilst the exact chemical make-up varies from type to type (see below), most batteries contain heavy metals, which are the main cause for environmental concern. When disposed of incorrectly, these heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes. This can contribute to soil and water pollution and endanger wildlife.
Cadmium, for example, can be toxic to aquatic invertebrates and can bio-accumulate in fish, which makes them unfit for human consumption. Some batteries, such as button cell batteries, also contain mercury, which has similarly hazardous properties.
Mercury is no longer being used in the manufacture of non-rechargeable batteries, except button cells where it is a functional component, and the major European battery suppliers have been offering mercury-free disposable batteries since 1994.

"Bleep Rechargeable Batteries are all Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)"

Types of battery.

There are a number of different types of household batteries used by householders for a variety of purposes. The three main types are:

1) Wet-cell: Lead acid batteries used to power vehicles and by industry.

2) Dry-cell non-rechargeable: Most common household battery.

3) General purpose disposable household batteries. Including:

i) Zinc carbon (used in appliances such as torches, clocks, shavers and radios)
ii) Zinc chloride (used in similar applications)
iii) Alkaline manganese (used in personal stereos, radio-cassette players) - less prone to leaking than the above two types and longer lasting

Primary button cells:

1) Mercuric oxide used in batteries for hearing aids, pacemakers, photographic equipment.
2) Zinc air - an alternative to mercuric oxide button cells - used for hearing aids and radio pagers.
3) Silver oxide used for electronic watches and calculators.
4) Lithium used for watches and photographic equipment.
5) Dry-cell rechargeable - general purpose rechargeable batteries for the above uses, and also including Nickel cadmium, Nickel metal hydride and Lithium-Ion batteries used in power tools, cordless appliances, mobile phones etc.

Nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries represent one of the fastest growing sectors in the battery market. Used for cordless power tools, personal stereos, portable telephones, lap-top computers, shavers, motorised toys etc, with a life of 4-5 years.
Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are a less environmentally harmful alternative to NiCd and tend to have a longer life.
Lithium ion (Li-Ion) batteries have a greater energy storage capacity than NiCd and NiMH batteries.
Using rechargeable batteries reduces the number of batteries requiring disposal, but 80% of them contain nickel cadmium, a known human carcinogen, and therefore need to be disposed of safely.

Disposal of Batteries

Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion, Mercury and Sealed Lead Acid batteries contain dangerous substances that are covered by various legislation including:

Deposits of Poisonous Waste Act 1972
Control of Pollution Act 1974
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Environment & Accumulators Regulations 1994

These acts dictate that batteries falling into the above categories must not be disposed of with general refuse. Spent batteries should be sent to the following companies for correct disposal so that the above legislation is not contravened. Please ensure that the batteries are totally drained of all electrical charge or individually wrapped to prevent short circuiting and send carriage paid to any of the following addresses:

Commercial battery collectors & recyclers:

RABBITT Recycling Worktwice Marketing Ltd The Cottages, 27-29 New Street, Gloucestershire, GL12 8ES Tel: 0800 1381988 Fax: 01453 521330 E-mail: info@rabbitrecycling.co.uk Website: http://worktwice.co.uk/rabbitt/ Recycling batteries, mobile phones, IT equipment and more for businesses: G & P Batteries Crescent Works Industrial Park, Willenhall Road WS10 8JR Tel: 0121 568 3200 Fax: 0121 568 3201 E-mail: enquiries@g-pbatt.co.uk G&P Batteries is the largest nation-wide collector of waste batteries in the UK, particularly lead acid. Envirogreen Special Waste Services Regus House, 268 Bath Road, Slough, Berks, SL1 4DX Tel: 0845 712 5398 Fax: 01753 537314 Email: info@envirogreen.co.uk

"UK may miss target on disposal of batteries"

Posted 30 March, 2004

The UK is in danger of missing a European Union target on the safe disposal of batteries and is throwing away so many that in their active state they would power a torch for more than a million years. The UK has one of the worst records in the EU on collecting batteries for safe disposal despite the Government's admission that they can discharge toxic substances, including lead and mercury, into groundwater, with potentially damaging effects for human health.
Elliott Morley, the Environment minister, has admitted in parliamentary replies to MPs that the UK collects only 0.5 per cent of household batteries a year, compared with 59 per cent in Belgium, 44 per cent in Austria and 55 per cent in Sweden.
This will make it extremely difficult to meet targets in a draft EU directive on batteries which is shortly to come into force and will require the door-to-door collection of 44 per cent of household batteries so they can be safely disposed of. The directive will also require Britain to collect 80 per cent of nickel cadmium household batteries and all car batteries.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, said Britain was the "dirty man of Europe" when it came to the disposal of batteries and warned that it was facing a crisis similar to that faced over the collection of fridges.
"These figures demonstrate starkly how poor Britain's record is on collecting batteries and how far the Government is lagging behind other countries such as Belgium where half of all their batteries are collected," he said.
"Batteries contain substances which are toxic to human health and can leach into the groundwater if they are simply thrown away with other rubbish.
"They need to be collected safely or we will end up with a battery mountain similar to the fridge mountain."
Research by Mr Baker has shown that an estimated 600 million batteries are thrown away in landfill sites each year, enough to "power a torch for more than a million years" if they were still active.
The directive will mean local authorities must put in place arrangements to pick up batteries, a similar system to that for collecting fridges, which also contain hazardous substances.
In a written answer from Mr Morley to Mr Baker the minister admitted that there were concerns that throwing batteries into landfill dumps could lead to "the potential generation and discharge into the environment of hazardous substances ... known to be toxic to aquatic environment and human health".
Mr Morley said that the Government is in favour of the EU directive and believed that targets for collection and recycling are "challenging but achievable". The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Trade and Industry were in talks about "ways to ensure early participation" in the directive and "to enable the UK to meet the collection target within the given timeframe".
Batteries contain quantities of heavy metals which are recyclable, including zinc, manganese and copper.

Story sourced from © 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd.

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