Re: [GreenYes] household batteries help

[Pat Franklin <pfranklin@container-recycling.org>]

David and Eric,

Coming in on this discussion at the tail end but thought
I'd throw in a plug for 'refundable deposits' as a means of
capturing these batteries.

Pat

===================================================

At 11:02 AM 12/6/01 -0800, David Assmann wrote:
>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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