All about batteries!

Batteries are a modern day success story and without them, we are not sure what our world would look like past the Industrial Revolution. Since Gaston Plante invented it in 1859, we have used it from starting our cars to the tiny things powering our MP3 players.

Without getting into all the details of chemistry, we'll just say that the only function of a battery is to be able to store energy and take it with us to wherever we need it. This is a key component in modernizing a society - harnessing and moving energy. Where a battery is not enough, a small engine (generator) is used to create energy on the spot - which uses fuel to convert one type of energy into another (electricity).

Why are we mentioning all this relatively common knowledge? Because in order to be creative (save money, come up with better solutions, etc), we have to keep in mind the ultimate purpose of a product. How we get there is the creative part. Let us explain:

We need to power our cell phone so we need a battery to make it function; fine. The battery is created for us in say China, made out of plastic, components such as nickel, cadmium, lithium, and others, and then shipped over to us (probably large cargo ships) in separate packaging. Processed, packed, and delivered to our store, catalogued and shelved, and where we drive to pick this piece of "energy-holder" for our use. That is a giant ordeal to go through for a relatively small task of holding energy. By the way, similar processes are used for all our small alkaline batteries (AA, C, D, etc.).

The cell phone and cordless phone batteries we plug in and re-charge for a long-term use, versus the cheaper single-use alkaline batteries we dispose of as fast as we bought them. As apparent as we tried to make it, it is more sustainable and probably cheaper over the life of the battery to purchase rechargeable. Also, rechargeable batteries can be recycled as the components used within them are made to be re-conditioned (when we recycle our old ones of course).

So we know that not all batteries are created equal and not all carry the same recycling capabilities. We'll quickly go through the different types and what to do with them.

Battery types:

Lead Acid - From small sealed consumer batteries, to car, deep cycle, and industrial. The automotive batteries are "wet-charged" because they carry a charge when first manufactured. Non-automotive (such as motorcycle-batteries) are "dry" in that they don't carry a charge until the electrolytes are added. These tend to have a long shelf-life.

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-CD) / Nickel Metal Hydride (NI-MH) - These are the more popular rechargeable batteries, also known as secondary batteries" and are commonly found as standard cylindrical rechargeables and / or battery-packs attached to phones or laptops.

Mercury Oxide, Silver Oxide, and Button Cell Batteries - are ones found in watches, hearing aides, and anything that requires a thin profile.

Lithium Ion Batteries - Digital cameras, cell phones, and lap-top computers also have these battery packs. They contain a lithium metallic oxide as a cathode and a carbon material as an anode. The electrolyte is a lithium salt.

Alkaline and Zinc Carbon Batteries - These are the "disposable" batteries which make up 70% of the total market. These are AA, AAA, and all the ranges in between. They contain manganese dioxide, zinc, and potassium or sodium hydroxide. Before 1992, it used to contain mercury to prevent corrosion and hydrogen gas but since then laws restricted this.

RECYCLING PROCESS OF BATTERIES:

Nickel Cadmium & Nickel Metal Hydride

These being the more popular rechargeable (or "secondary") batteries are taken apart via shredder and/or hammer-mill. (it would take a lot of people to do this by hand!). The electrolytes are neutralized (via baking soda, vinegar, etc), the heavy metals (primarily lead) are recovered by pyrometallurgical processes (thermal in a rotary furnace), and the heavy metals are sold back into the manufacturing chain. The high cost of these metals, especially in today's and future market, makes the recovery effort much more profitable than ever before.

Lead Acid

Whether automotive or small consumer, and although separated from wet to dry, have similar recycling processes. Like Ni-CD and Ni-MH batteries, the electrolytes are neutralized, battery broken down, and the metal are extracted for lead purification and resale.

Mercury Oxide, Silver Oxide, and Button Cell Batteries - again, the process to remove the precious metals are similar, except that these may contain Mercuric Oxide. The rest of the battery (non-toxic at this point), is then turned over to an environmental protection facility.

Lithium Batteries - A lithium salt mixture is taken out and whether at one facility or another, pure lithium carbonate is recovered from the impure mixture - which is then sold back for re-manufacturing. The rest of the battery is deactivated using a hydrosaline process making them non-toxic, and again is then turned over to an environmental protection facility.

Alkaline and Zinc Carbon Batteries - These are shredded in similar fashion as above except that an acid bath is used to neutralize the electrolytes. This is then dried in a rotary kiln. At the same time, carbon steel turnings are added in at a ration of 20-40 parts to 1 part battery. The metal was added to create a base on which the magnetic reaction can take place. This is then pressed into bricks and taken to a steel-mill for further processing. There, the zinc is recovered for re-sale (zinc-oxide) and the manganese dioxide becomes an alloy to make re-bar steel.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a "non-profit public service organization dedicated to recycling used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones. RBRC collects the Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion), and Small Sealed Lead *(Pb) rechargeable batteries that power a variety of portable electronic products such as cellular and cordless phones, power tools, laptop computers, camcorders, two-way radios, and digital cameras."

More than 300 battery manufacturers use the following symbols letting consumers know that their batteries have been proven to be good recycling candidates.

(from left to right: Lead-Acid, Lithium Ion, Ni-Cd, and Ni-MH)

Many batteries can now be taken to your local office-supply store or check out your local recycling directory for their acceptance. In our sustainable workplace feature, we also mentioned the potential to set up a collection box for all the business dealings as well as the employees and their families. It's perfect way to gather these small items and deliver them to the intended location just once. Any which way they are treated, it is imperative that we make the best use of these little wonders of energy transports because their extended-life is hardly over even though their primary purpose is.