Acceptance of used batteries for money. Foreign experience of battery recycling. Collection and storage of hazardous waste

Batteries are an inexpensive power source that has a wide range of applications. They are used in remote controls, watches, portable electronics, digital technology and even children's toys. Batteries must be disposed of according to sanitary standards, that is, in a specialized container. Each such product has a sign that it should not be thrown away with normal household waste. According to the most conservative estimates, in each family there are at least 1 dozen food sources.

The second project, which should receive almost the same investment, is from green joinery. The goal is to use the furniture factory's waste in the production of other products that will be signed by famous artists and designers. The workforce will be formed by ex-prisoners and low-income people. This is a risky investment, but with a high return.

Recycled material is reused in production, and today this raw material already accounts for 55% of the company's sales. The company is currently setting up eight material collection centers in Brazil. Consumers take the empty packaging to a collector installed in accredited stores. This waste is sent to specialized companies that recycle the packaging and reintegrate it as a raw material in several production cycles.

Battery types

Finger batteries look quite harmless. Even their small size casts doubt on whether disposal of used batteries is a necessary measure. In order to understand what is dangerous in these miniature power sources, as a result of which the processing of batteries is a serious problem today, one should take a closer look at their structure and chemical composition.

In the first 18 months of the program, which began experimentally in stores in Recife, Campinas, Belo Horizonte and Curitiba, 80,000 bags were collected. Thanks to good results, the Bioawareness Program has already been implemented in more than 3,000 stores in 550 municipalities of the country.

Sao Paulo is the state champion in packaging collection. Just as batteries should not be disposed of in normal trash, packaging of veterinary products such as anti-parasitic pipettes and worms should also be disposed of. The reception has been so good that the project has already gained a lot of distributors and over 100 stores. Together with the program of waste collection in the veterinary clinics of Parana, the project has the prospect of expanding to all regions of the country over the next two years. For this reason, the São Paulo-based company is actively involved in the "Give a Hand to the Future" project, because.

The battery case is absolutely safe. It is made of metal, which completely insulates the contents until the shell is corroded. The inner part is the reservoir of dangerous chemical elements, which can be neutralized by recycling batteries. Each of them has an anode - zinc powder, which is impregnated with electrolyte and a cathode - magnesium dioxide mixed with titanium dioxide.

The action is part of the Cleansing Conscious Movement promoted by the Personal Care Manufacturers Association of Brazil, which has over 20 partners among small, medium and large companies. In Parana, the initial project includes 11 municipalities and one cooperative. While the entities are responsible for training associations or cooperatives of waste collectors, the obligation of the municipal authorities is to implement or improve the municipal electoral collection.

This initiative also raises awareness of the importance of responsible consumption and collaboration with waste segregation. As part of this strategy, he created a project so that consumers can provide an appropriate place for their unused equipment and thus contribute to the reduction of e-waste.

The classification of products is carried out depending on the electrolyte:

  • Salt
  • Alkaline (alkaline)
  • Lithium
  • Silver
  • Mercury

Batteries can be made from various materials, but they contain at least 10 highly toxic chemical elements and dissolved heavy metals - lithium, mercury, lead, cadmium. Disposal of lithium and mercury power sources in waste bins for MSW is absolutely unacceptable.

It then directs your device to one of those locations. This volume contains the remains of concrete, wood, general debris, organic waste and metals, among other materials. This amount includes staff training, the purchase of a concrete crusher, a lumberjack and the installation of a hazardous waste incinerator.

Among them are eco-friendly canvas and some types of floors. The sustainability board's mission should disappear, says Maria Luisa de Oliveira Pinto y Paiva, who is in charge of the bank's sustainability. The reason for this is that this is where sustainable ideas are born and developed, and then channeled into the areas that are most connected to each project. So the bank's engineers expressed their readiness to create a sustainable banking industry.

The question of why batteries should not be thrown away with household waste is so relevant for a reason. One miniature AA battery pollutes a 20 m² area of ​​soil. Chemicals not only pollute the soil, they seep into ground water, evaporate in the air and gradually poison not only nature, but also human body. In order not to pay for carelessness with one's own health, nutrients must be handed over to a waste battery collection point.

This agency was built with recyclable water, solar energy capture, more glass in the structure to use less electricity, and certified wood furniture. An experience that is still being implemented in the days of Banco Real was so sure that today, when a unit of Santander needs to be built or reformed, the bank aims to make the most of these resources.

According to Claudia, the bank made an overview of the cities that have a toll collection, as well as those that have large collection cooperatives. By the end of this year, the program will serve 400 agencies, about half of the network. But for a 10-year-old boy, this is a dream dream. Tissier also knows that this boy is the consumer of the future. And it is with this future demand in mind that the automaker, which has a factory in Curitiba, is starting to implement a sustainable production model in Brazil.


Why shouldn't you throw away used batteries?

It has already been noted above that batteries are dangerous - their chemical composition. If the question arose of how to store batteries, the answer is unequivocal - pack hermetically and take the used product to the collection point as soon as possible. To complete the picture, it is necessary to describe in detail the two main ways of poisoning nature that affect humans:

To do this, the car is made from 46% recycled material, has 25 kilograms of natural fibers and two kilograms of recycled plastic, equivalent to 14% of the total. Behind this pompous name is one of the most modern industrial water treatment centers in the country, capable of treating 99% of all the water used by the device. In addition to water treatment, the automaker has built a recycling island at the center of the plant. On Eco-Island, as it is called, 400 tons of material are discarded daily from assembly lines.

  1. Over time, the capacity of the element decomposes, which leads to the release of toxic substances into the environment, that is, into the soil and air. And already through it, harmful components enter the groundwater, and then into the reservoirs, from where the liquid goes to our homes.
  2. Yes, batteries are incinerated in landfills, but the smoke containing dioxins in this case does not disappear anywhere, it gets into the air. The entire plant and animal world absorbs this smoke, and through them the poison enters the human body.

All poisons that enter the human body can cause severe oncological diseases:

Today, that volume has shrunk by just over half. On the other hand, the share of recycled waste increased from 70% to 93%. The largest generator of solid waste in the country, the construction industry has a unique role to play in shaping new environmental awareness. An example is the new People's Park project in São Paulo.

New walking, running and cycling courts and three multi-purpose courts were built using 30,000 cubic meters of cement that was used in the construction. Some of the material also came from the rubble of buildings in Krakolandia, home of a pharmacy in the center of the state capital, which was destroyed by the mayor's office.

  • Pathologies of the brain and central nervous system
  • Tumors
  • Deformation of the respiratory system
  • Diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system

It is worth noting the fact that since the active use of lithium batteries, the number of diseases in the field of oncology has almost doubled according to the results of 2010. It is difficult to say whether this is a coincidence or not, but the fact remains.

It was a very degraded region. He says that reuse waste is an old practice on company beds. Not a single yarn produced by the company that is not recycled. Once collected, the bottles are disinfected, crushed, melted down and made into polyester.

The same goes for fabrics that have seen yarn again. The combination of the resistance and elasticity of this polyester with the softness of patchwork cotton makes Denivo fabric. The City of God tests ideas and actions, says Ivani Benazzi de Andrade, market relations manager for Bradesco. The designs are then reproduced for Brazil.

The conclusion from the above is that the battery should not be disposed of in landfills for domestic waste. You do not know what to do with used power sources: they must be handed over to a battery collection point, from where they will never again enter the external environment.


One, internal, involving the entire network of agencies and administrative units. Another, external, is in financing the implementation of management programs for companies and municipalities. According to him, work will begin in 300 agencies, which are considered medium and large. Another 700 units will be added later in this project. However, external action has the greatest influence on environment. The goal is to support 920 municipalities with a population of less than 20,000 in implementing waste management programs.

Since stores don't have the physical space to process this material and the company wanted to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, the way forward was to develop partnerships. The company is also starting a pilot project in Recife that will turn organic waste into animal feed.

Reception point and its structure

Full-fledged disposal of batteries in Russia, or rather a place where batteries could be sent for processing to obtain raw materials that are suitable for reuse, became available not so long ago. In our country, this mission is carried out by only one enterprise - the Chelyabinsk plant for the processing of lithium batteries "Megapolisresurs". The battery collection container can be found in many electronics stores and supermarkets that have signed a contract with the factory.

We still have a long way to go, but the results we have already achieved are encouraging, says the CEO. Not only with beer sales, Ambev, owners of the Brahma and Antarctica brands, are fattening up their box. Last year, 98.2% of all by-products from the beverage production process were reused.

In the case of water, which accounts for 95% of beer, the care is even greater. Last year, Ambev launched the Blue Movement. The project began with work to restore the sources of the Parano-Corumba basin in federal district with the participation of local communities. At the end of one year, in March, another important step was taken.

Recent times it is not uncommon to find a collection point organized by a social movement, that is, places where anyone can come and hand over a used battery for recycling.

Megapolis resource

The largest collection point in Russia, where all used batteries are sent for recycling. The organization was founded in 2004, but the company began to deal directly with the processing of batteries only in October 2013. To start recycling batteries, the plant had to change its own technology for recycling electronic waste.

Liters per year, has managed to reduce the amount of water it spends in its production process in Jundiai. One of the strategies to achieve a water economy in the production process was the use of new technologies. In addition to state-of-the-art refrigerant bottling equipment, water treatment equipment in sectors such as the kitchen and bathroom have been installed in a plant to produce recycled water that is reused for cleaning.

The disposal and collection of materials such as bags and machines used in blood transfusions are public health concerns. Among the measures to reduce waste, the company implemented projects to optimize packaging and collect equipment used at home.

The developers note that the efficiency of their invention reaches almost the maximum of 80%, which is 20% better than abroad. For example, in Germany the recycling efficiency does not exceed 60%. At the moment, the company cooperates with many large retail chains, installing a collection bin in stores, and even has its own points in 24 cities of Russia. Each network has its own small battery collection point.

We even send boats to Amazon to pick up cars at a patient's home, says Patricia Maria dos Santos, Baxter's head of safety, health and environment. In addition to managing the traffic of ships entering and leaving the Port of Santos on a daily basis, a major part of Brazil, the São Paulo State Dock Company, is responsible for managing the waste they generate.

Only about 60 employees from various fields work in the field of monitoring and monitoring of environmental programs. To minimize waste generation and the best way to compensate the environment and the community, the company is investing heavily in at least 24 different environmental monitoring programs.

For 2013, the following has been revised:

  • Waste photo - 1 million tons
  • - 500 tons
  • Batteries - 3 tons

But Megapolisresurs is not going to stop there. Already in 2014, the organization attracted investments for more than 500 million rubles and is now organizing a full-fledged line for the disposal of used batteries.

It is essential to invest in the environment and the measures continue to help add value to our projects. Many of the programs seek to marry the social and environmental realm. The company has opened, for example, a lubricating oil collection point that is used by local fishermen. Scrap and other construction waste, common materials in the port, are sent to the fishing communities where they are used in the reconstruction and construction of decks.

Wallet is also aiming to become zero carbon for as long as. Today, white powder, a powerful thermal insulator, is moving from being scrap metal to becoming a raw material in South America's largest industrial and medical gas. Born from an employee initiative, White Martins' pioneering project has already used 4.5 tons of perlite for factory repairs.

Various public organizations are also involved in the problem of environmental protection. They create a collection point, a special bin is installed in the yards, from where subsequently the disposed cells will be sent to the battery recycling plant. Anyone can do a useful thing by installing a collection box in their entryway or at work. Thus, you not only show concern for the state of the environment, but also do everything possible to improve it.


Disposal procedure

With the opening of the processing line at the Chelyabinsk plant, the question of how to properly dispose of power sources can be considered partially resolved. Of course, on the scale of our country, only one plant is very small. But now there is confidence that the recycling of batteries will make it possible to neutralize at least part of the spent batteries and direct the resources received to production needs.

How batteries are recycled - the main steps:

  1. Manual sorting allows you to distribute products according to their type
  2. The container line delivers the batteries to the crusher, where they are crushed
  3. The resulting raw material falls under the magnetic tape, which separates the large elements of the metal case.
  4. The rest is subjected to repeated crushing and separation of iron
  5. The resulting mass contains an electrolyte and needs a neutralization process.
  6. As a result of hydrometallurgical technologies, raw materials are separated into individual components and packaged.

Not all batteries are recycled. Some are to be buried in landfills. The country maintains a large number of batteries thrown into garbage cans and then landfills.

Opening a business based on the processing of environmentally harmful waste is quite difficult due to the low development of this industry. Recycling requires significant financial investments, which are not reimbursed by the subsequent sale of recyclable materials, so the disposal of batteries requires public funding.


Foreign experience of battery recycling

In the European Union, the question of where to dispose of batteries is not raised. Containers for batteries are placed in all shops and institutions. The cost of new batteries initially included a certain percentage, taking into account recycling, and when purchasing new products, the buyer can count on a discount if he returns the old ones. In Europe, in total, there are at least 40 processing plants that recycle up to 45% of all chemical food sources.

  • In the US, there is a collection point where you can throw away used batteries at every store that sells them. The collection and processing of elements is entrusted to the sellers and distributors of the corresponding products, and manufacturers are obliged to finance all necessary activities. The amount of annually recycled batteries in the US is up to 60%.
  • Japan is developing the most effective method recycling, so the batteries are currently stored in warehouses in compliance with safety requirements.
  • Australia has the highest battery recycling rate, with over 80% of recycled batteries. Products that local businesses are unable to dispose of on their own are sent to Europe.

The environmental impact of batteries is extremely high. That is why some entrepreneurs are in a hurry to master this area and open profitable business. However, in Russia there are no appropriate conditions and state support for enterprising citizens. We can only hope that in the near future the recycling and collection of batteries will reach a new level.

Accumulates up to a kilogram of batteries per year. Everyone at the same time, without hesitation, throws them into a bucket, after which they end up in landfills and landfills, where the battery shell quickly collapses and all toxic substances end up in the soil and act in a destructive way on all living things that exist on earth.

On each battery, you can find the corresponding sign (crossed-out bin), which warns that they should never be thrown into the trash can, as they are toxic waste.

AT different countries The issue of battery disposal is solved in different ways. For example, in Japan they are carefully collected and stored in a certain place, waiting for the invention of processing technology. In Europe, every supermarket has special containers for collecting used batteries. They want to introduce the same practice in Russia. In our country, you can return the batteries to any Ikea supermarket, where they are accepted free of charge and recycled.

Switch to batteries whenever possible. Since one used battery replaces the work and disposal of 400 conventional batteries. If there are collection points for used batteries in your city or region, take them there.

Can be held special promotion, according to which the activists of your city will collect used batteries from the entire population, after which they will hand them over to a collection point. Make a special container in your entrance, where all the neighbors will throw away batteries, after a large number of them have accumulated, take them to a special point. Do not litter the environment, take care of the cleanliness of the environment and the health of all living things.

One of the conditions for the operation of household appliances is the correct use of batteries. The most common of these are batteries. Their use requires timely and competent disposal.

Need to know

Disposal of batteries begins from the moment you purchase them. And you need to know these rules.

But why is it not enough to just throw batteries in a bucket? It's about their content. With the standard waste disposal scheme, such things end up in the soil, so the manufacturer always indicates a crossed-out container on the battery - a symbol that prohibits disposing of batteries as household waste.

Batteries can be dangerous not only for the environment in the process of decomposition. They can leak, some explode, release their contents into the nearest space of our habitat.

What kind of "stuffing" are we talking about? It:

Lead - dangerous for bone tissue, nervous system;
- lithium and alkalis - toxic to the skin;
- cadmium - trouble for the lungs and kidneys;
- - affects the brain;
- zinc and nickel - cause dermatitis in case of overdose;
- cobalt - causes dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- silver oxide.

The most dangerous are batteries containing mercury and lithium. Mercury quickly seeps into the soil, and lithium is an active metal that can spontaneously react with oxygen, igniting at the same time.

The amount of toxins in one battery contaminates at least 20 square meters soil. The potential danger to humans becomes obvious!

However, these materials are not only dangerous, but they are the possibility of a constant energy turnover, which is important for the state. If the batteries are properly disposed of, then there is a double benefit: the environment is saved and the economy is stimulated.

That's right - it's

At the end of their useful life, the batteries must be removed from the device and taken to a specialized recycling center. They should not be beaten, split, left in direct sunlight and generally kept at home.

The collection and subsequent disposal are carried out by both volunteers and state-owned enterprises. The IKEA supermarket chain also has corresponding battery collection points. Such disposal is the only the right decision in this situation.

Related videos

Sources:

  • A magazine dedicated to state programs for the processing of solid waste.
  • List of collection points for secondary raw materials, including waste batteries.