Many consumers mistakenly believe that once they hand over their spent batteries to a recycler, the batteries will be disposed of safely and responsibly. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
In recent years, some recyclers have opted to send battery waste to overseas smelting facilities that fail to meet American environmental standards. This practice causes significant harm to both human health and the environment.
To understand the problem, let’s consider what batteries contain: heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. These metals are highly toxic to humans and the environment if improperly managed.
To prevent these hazardous materials from contaminating landfills, the EPA has established stringent pollution control standards. While these regulations have successfully kept battery waste out of American landfills, they have also made domestic recycling more complex and expensive.
As a result, some recyclers have turned to foreign facilities in countries like Thailand and China, where labor is cheaper and environmental regulations are less stringent.
In the US, battery recycling occurs in advanced, meticulously regulated facilities. Workers use protective gear, and smokestack scrubbers capture harmful emissions, preventing them from entering the community.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case in countries like Thailand and China. There, recycling may involve little more than workers smashing batteries with hammers and melting them in rudimentary furnaces.
In many instances, hazardous battery waste isn’t recycled at all. Instead, it’s burned, dumped in landfills, or otherwise disposed of unsafely. In China alone, over 1.5 million tons of plastic waste were dumped into the ocean last year.
These practices not only devastate the environment but also endanger human lives. Workers and local residents can be exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals. Lead exposure, for example, can lead to severe health problems, including kidney and brain damage, developmental issues, and even death.
Fortunately, American companies can take measures to ensure their batteries are recycled safely and responsibly:
- Choose a recycler who uses EPA-approved facilities. These facilities adhere to strict standards for environmental protection and worker safety.
- Request a recycling certificate. This document will detail the date of pick-up, the battery generator, relevant job numbers, types of batteries recycled, received weight, and the EPA identification number of the smelting facility. This certificate is crucial for demonstrating compliance with state and local regulations.
- Schedule your next pickup with Union Battery. Our top priority is to promote environmental sustainability. We ensure that your batteries are disposed of, recycled, and smelted legally and safely.
By taking these steps, companies can play a vital role in protecting the environment and human health from the hidden dangers of foreign battery recycling.
