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Handling Wastes:
Vehicle Batteries
by Shirley Niemeyer,
Extension Specialist, Home Environment
Robert Grisso, Extension Specialist, Biological Systems Engineering
Wayne Woldt, Extension Specialist, Waste Management
Kathleen Heiden, Graduate Student, UN-L
Environmental Hazards of
Batteries A battery is an electrochemical device with the ability to convert
chemical energy to electrical energy to provide power to electronic devices.
Batteries may contain lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc, lead, manganese,
nickel, and lithium which can be hazardous when incorrectly disposed. Batteries
may produce the following potential problems or hazards:
-
Pollute the lakes and
streams as the metals vaporize into the air when burned.
-
Contribute to heavy
metals that leach from solid waste landfills.
-
Expose the environment
and water to lead and sulfuric acid.
-
Contain strong acids that
are corrosive.
-
May cause burns or danger
to eyes and skin.
Heavy metals have the
potential to enter the water supply from the leachate or runoff from landfills.
It is estimated that nonrecycled lead-acid batteries produce about 65 percent of
the lead in the municipal waste stream. When burned, some heavy metals such as
mercury may vaporize and escape into the air, and cadmium and lead may end up in
the ash, making the ash a hazardous material for disposal.
Vehicle Batteries
Seventy million auto
batteries are produced each year in the U.S. About 80 percent of discarded
lead-acid batteries are being collected and recycled. Lead-acid batteries
contain about 15 to 20 pounds of lead per battery and about 1 to 2 gallons of
sulfuric acid.
Auto batteries may be
recycled by trading in an old battery when replacing a battery. Most battery
distribution centers, automotive garages and repair centers have collection
points. Batteries are also accepted at some scrap yards, auto dismantlers, and
some retail chain stores. Batteries should be stored in a secure area, locked
or away from children and sources of sparks. If you have old batteries, find a
place that will recycle them. Check the Nebraska Recycling Directory for
businesses in your area that accept batteries.
Prolonging Battery Life
To reduce waste, buy
longer-life batteries that may result in fewer batteries to recycle and follow
recommended maintenance procedures to lengthen battery life.
-
Check the battery for
adequate water level if the battery is not a sealed battery. If the
battery is low on water, have the battery and the vehicle charge system
checked. Do not over fill a battery.
-
Make sure all
connections are clean.
-
If your vehicle is
seldom used, charge the battery at least every two months to maintain the
battery charge. In a discharge state, the battery might freeze.
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If the battery must be
stored out of the vehicle, store in cool dry place.
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Is it recommended not
to jump start a battery when the battery is extremely cold.
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When jump starting,
connect the jumper cables first to the power source. Then connect the
positive cable to positive cable on the battery to be jumped, and the
negative to a solid ground on the vehicle (eg bracket on alternator). This
avoids going directly to the battery to be charged to prevent sparking.
References
EPA (1992, December). Used
dry cell batteries: Is a collection program right for your community?
(EPA/530-K-92-1006) Washington, DC: EPA.
Lund, H. (1993). The
McGraw-Hill recycling handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Proceedings of the National
EPA Conference on Household Hazardous Waste (1990, 1991,1992,1993,1994). Andover
MA: Dana Duxbury & Associates.
Nebraska University Cooperative Extension
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