Re: [GreenYes] household batteries help

[David Assmann <davidassmann@yahoo.com>]

Eric

Americans throw out about 179,000 tons of batteries a year, of which about
14,000 tons are rechargeables. Rechargeable batteries are considered
environmentally preferable to disposable, single-use batteries because they
reduce the total number of batteries manufactured and entering the waste
steam. But because these batteries contain a high concentration of heavy
metals, disposing of them in landfills and incinerators can disperse
significant amounts of toxic substances into the air and water. Which is why
rechargeable batteries should be recycled (the EPA concurs on this).

The RBRC program for recycling rechargeable batteries is not sufficent. At
best, the recycling rate is 15%, which is not a successful program, by any
measurement system.  That's why the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco
passed a resolution urging manufacturers to spend more money on public
education, work with the city to develop a more effective municipal
collection program, and do a better job at reporting its results to local
government officials. To facilitate recycling, it also calls for batteries
to be more easily removable from products and for more batteries to be
labeled as to their recyclability and chemical content.

David


Eric Lombardi wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Now I'm confused ... could someone please briefly offer advise to the
> rest of us on whether or not we should be starting household battery
> collection programs, and if so, what kind, and if not, why not.
>
> Gracias,
>
> Eric Lombardi
> Executive Director
> EcoCycle, Inc
> Boulder, CO
> www.ecocycle.org
> 303-444-6634
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-greenyes@grrn.org [mailto:owner-greenyes@grrn.org] On Behalf
> Of Michele Raymond
> Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 2:09 PM
> To: David Assmann
> Cc: Heidi Swets; greenyes@grrn.org
> Subject: Re: [GreenYes] household batteries help
>
> I wasn't talking about rechargeables!!
>
> Sorry!!
>
> michele
>
> At 11:58 AM 12/5/01 -0800, David Assmann wrote:
> >NiCd batteries contain cadmium, and NiMH and LI-ion batteries contain
> cobalt.
> >Cobalt is classified as a possible human carcinogen and cadmium is
> >classified as
> >
> >a probable carcinogen or a carcinogen (depends on which group is doing
> the
> >classifying). You should definitely be concerned about these batteries.
> >
> >David Assmann
> >Deputy Director
> >San Francisco Department of the Environment
> >
> >Michele Raymond wrote:
> >
> > > Very few HH batteries now have heavy metals -- at least not new ones
> They
> > > must be mercury-free; there are a few small sealed lead acid -- like
> in the
> > > backup for the computers  they can be sent to the same retailers as
> > > rechargeables.
> > > Call RBRC.
> > >
> > > At 09:52 PM 11/23/01 -0600, Heidi Swets wrote:
> > > >Greetings.  I wonder if anyone could suggest to me a source of
> information
> > > >on recycling just plain ol' single-use, household batteries--not
> the
> > > >rechargeable kind. I am repeatedly asked why there are no recycling
> > > >programs for them.  The implication is, if car batteries and
> rechargeables
> > > >are recyclable, why not the disposables, which surely have, in
> their
> > > >cumulative number, a sizeable quantity of useful lead in them.  If
> anyone
> > > >knows of markets for them, or communities that do have a collection
>
> > program
> > > >for them, I'd like to know.  I am in NE Iowa; we run a voluntary
> drop off
> > > >recycling program for a primarily rural county of roughly 21,000.
> We'd
> > > >like to start something here.
> > > >
> > > >Thanks much,
> > > >Heidi Swets
> > > >Spectrum Industries Recycling
> > > >
> > > >******************************************
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> > >
> > > Michele Raymond
> > > Publisher
> > > Recycling Laws International/ State Recycling Laws Update
> > > 5111 Berwyn Rd. Ste 115 College Park, MD 20740)
> > > 301/345-4237   Fax 345-4768
> > > http://www.raymond.com
> > >
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> Michele Raymond
> Publisher
> Recycling Laws International/ State Recycling Laws Update
> 5111 Berwyn Rd. Ste 115 College Park, MD 20740)
> 301/345-4237   Fax 345-4768
> http://www.raymond.com
>
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