Battery Disposal
Created September 13, 2005, at 5:10 pm by Anonymous
What are all you alleged greenies going to do with your batteries when they expire? Shoot 'em into space?
GREAT article by Brock Yates on the inherent waste of resources from driving hybrids in Car & Driver a few months back, btw.
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why site hybrids as being unique to eventual trash? ANYTHING we buy eventually ends up in the trash. is it so different by being a battery then a gas tank or side panel, engine or tires or wires & cable?
stereos, ovens, refrigerators , TV's, etc, etc, etc.
pick an item, go form an argument based on the trash aspect? pretty weak!
see ya
steve
Recycle them of course! They are generally nickel metal hydride.
Tesla Motors, up and coming manufacturer of the sleek, Battery Electric Tesla Roadster, has recently posted the details of the battery recycling program they're setting up at:
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog4/?p=66
Its interesting reading for anyone who is interested in the ecological aspects of Li-ion batteries.
I might forego a nickel on recycling a bottle, but I certainly wouldn't trash $5,000 worth of Lithium.
There's two parts to this question, the first is about how recyclable the material is leading to the supply of lithium, and the second is about the toxiciity of the battery material.
Looking at the second issue first it is a non-issue, unless new chemistries change. Lithium-ion is not a banned or toxic substance for landfills. You could drop it right in (without charge) and it wouldn't hurt anything.
The first issue is probably the larger issue. If Lithium turns out as well as many think there could be shortages. It's a very abundant element, but the majority of that is in sea water and hard to extract. (like uranium)
The supply problem is of some concern to me at least, however, the Lithium is not a consumable resource like Uranium, Oil, or any fuel are.
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