Return-Path: Received: from TR4.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa28875; 14 Dec 93 17:03:13 EST From: Dean Benjamin Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 17:02:24 EST To: bovik@CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Where to recycle household batteries Reply-to: drb@cs.cmu.edu Harry - This topic recently came up on the local bboards, and I think the resulting discussion is worthy of dissemination to your many & conscientious disciples. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: pgh.general,cmu.cs.general From: bjw@sei.cmu.edu (Barbara White) Subject: Where to recycle batteries? Organization: Software Engineering Institute Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 12:02:39 EST Where might I recycle my 9-volt and AA batteries? _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general From: drb@CS.CMU.EDU (Dean Benjamin) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? [1 of 3] Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1993 20:35:10 -0500 First, a quick answer: Only nickel-cadmium rechargeables are readily recyclable (practically, they last forever; but they do wear out after ~100 charge/discharge cycles). If you're diligent [see my next message], you may be able to recycle mercury- and silver-oxide cells (most often seen by consumers in the form of dime-sized button cells for watches, etc). The problem is, the cost of processing most batteries exceeds the value of the recovered metals. Therefore, it costs *you* money to recycle your batteries. Fees vary, but most companies charge around $0.50 per pound of batteries, with large minimum shipments. However, one Pennsylvania company offers a public-spirited deal to PA residents, for NiCads only. They've waived their fees and accept tiny shipments from household consumers -- as little as a single battery. Mail spent NiCads ONLY to: INMETCO ----------- Ellwood City, PA [call the PO for zip code] [I forget the street address, but Ellwood City is small enough that this should suffice.] Alkaline bateries (the most common non-rechargeable sold) are not recycled anywhere in the US. The best an environmentally-correct consumer can do is to ship them away for burial at a hazardous-waste site. Last year I mailed two alkaline C-cells, along with a $1.00 check for handling, to MERECO in Latham NY (again, I don't have the adrs & zip with me here). I also enclosed a note & SASE asking them to complain to me if I was annoying them. They didn't, and my check was cashed, so I presume it's OK with them to do this. You might also check whether your municipality runs a program to collect batteries once or twice a year. While researching this problem last year, I called Wilkinsburg, Monroeville, Penn Hills, and Pittsburgh, none of which had such a program. Nor did GASP know of any. So for now it seems we're on our own. If you're feeling especially civic-minded, you might organize an office roundup (collecting $.25/battery, or something) and ship off a bucket of batteries to one of the companies listed in the following message. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general From: drb@CS.CMU.EDU (Dean Benjamin) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? [FOLLOWUP] Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 14:04:57 -0500 I left some threads dangling in my last post, so I made a few phone calls to tie them off: 1) INMETCO still accepts, at no charge to Pennsylvania residents only, small shipments of NiCad rechargeable batteries (as few as one), from which they recover for reuse the nickel and cadmium. Their address (NiCads ONLY!): INMETCO Attn: NiCad batteries for recycling PO Box 720 Phone: 412-758-5515 245 Portersville Road Fax: 412-758-9311 Ellwood City, PA 16117 2) MERECO (Mercury Refining Co) in Latham NY no longer accepts batteries in small quantities. They begged me to tell you please NOT to send them any; but they will help small communities start a battery collection program. Phone them at 1-800-833-3505 for an info pack. 3) According to James Roof of the Hazardous Waste Management Division of the PA Dept of Environmental Resources (717-787-6239), all municipal landfills in Pennsylvania are now doubly-lined, and most are equipped with leachate processing systems to catch heavy metals before they escape into the groundwater. That is, the final resting place of alkalines trashed in PA probably *is* a hazardous waste landfill, so MERECO's policy is less relevant. If you insist on wasting your money on disposable batteries -- NiCads are ~1/100 as expensive, over their useful lifetimes -- you needn't feel unduly guilty about throwing them into the waste basket. Nonetheless, the sobering fact remains to tweak the informed conscience: "US consumers buy over 2.5 billion dry cell batteries per year to power toys, tools, radios, flashlights and a variety of other devices.... Batteries compose approximately 0.005% by weight of the US waste stream, but account for over 50% of the mercury and cadmium found in our trash." -- Resource Recycling, April 1991, p.24 4) The informative articles I posted were excerpted from a thesis: Anthony Charles Tweedale, "A Battery Management Program for a Community with a Solid Waste Landfill", Master's Thesis, University of Montana, December 1992. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general From: drb@CS.CMU.EDU (Dean Benjamin) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? [2 of 3] Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1993 20:39:57 -0500 Earlier this year I asked the net for dead-battery info. My most informative response came from the U of Montana, which I will post in two parts. First, a list of battery-processing methods & companies: --begin forwarded message-- From: "Tony C. Tweedale" Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 12:39:46 -0600 (MDT) Subject: battery collection data enclosed To: drb@cs.cmu.edu APPENDIX 1: BATTERY RECLAMATION RECLAMATION METHODS There are two general methods for extracting metals, heat and chemicals. It is a challenge to extract relatively pure, economically sufficient quantities of metals from cells, especially if they are poorly sorted. Most battery reclamation in the US relies on starting with pure batches of cells with high percentages of lead, mercury or cadmium. Dry cells also have the disadvantage of their metals being in a powder or gel formulation with other compounds, while larger vehicle, power application and industrial batteries electrodes are large metal plates, easily dissasembled. These types of battery metals generally have a cost advantage from the reduced energy, typically 1/3 (Dodds) it takes to smelt virgin ores. Often the natural cost advantage is hidden by artificial price signals such as transportation or mining subsidies (tax treatment, etc.) for virgin materials. Contamination, e.g. 1% alkaline batteries in a NiCd batch (Cadmium Council & Association), can throw off the extraction methods that depend on certain physical parameters of volatility, pH, reactivity, etc. Japan, which collects mixed cells, has investigated automatic sorting and/or reclamation from mixed batches with a pilot scale plant (Clean Japan Center), recently closed. An interim report found the process economically feasable if it received revenue from the waste battery generators, also depending on spot market prices for the recovered metals. A new Swiss method (Recytec) vaporizes and condenses metals from mixed batches, followed by shredding, water wash/evaporation and magnetic separation. The non-ferrous fraction then proceeds to electrolysis in an acidic solvent, flouroboric acid, to increase metal solubility, especially avoiding zinc and nickel hydroxide precipitation for maximum electroplating efficiency. Excess hydrogen gas generation from the acid solvent is avoided, and each metal is extracted, by adding the metal fluoroborate of the metal just extracted. SNAM & SAVAM (largely the Hempel Group company) of France operates a smelting process for recovering metals from NiCds, NiFe's and mercuric-oxides collected from across Europe (David). The NIFE company of Sweden (Anulf) also pyro-metalurgically recovers cadmium, in open oxidizing conditions (cadmium oxide) and in reducing conditions by distilation. Economies of scale indicate that collecting unsorted cells, followed by an automatic sorting process, would be the cheapest sorting method. Japan and European countries that mandate collection of various cell types are experimenting with automatic sorting methods based cell density -- either x-ray spectroscopy or flotation+other (heavy fraction: mercury, lead-acid; medium fraction: NiCd, alkaline; light fraction: lithium, C-Zn) methods. Electrical resistance, magnetic inductance and ultrasound response differences also are used to separate cells (New et al.). Machine readable coding systems have been discussed and are being considered by manufacturers. Higher collection value Lower collection value type: type: Pb-acid cylinder carbon-zinc button merc-oxide cylinder heavy-duty button silver-oxide C-Zn cylinder cylinder merc-oxide alkaline cylinder NiCd button zinc-air use: lithium vehicles, cordless appliances use: hearing aids general purpose, consumer photo and watches hearing aids, low power uses medical machinery all sizes and uses cordless applncs, consumer high power uses, many sizes Cadmium is apparently expensive to reclaim, so that companies generally do not pay for NiCds despite cadmium's high value (GBB). Zinc too is difficult to extract, and has less value, despite the large quantities available. The large quantities of manganese, also with high value, may not be easily extractable because it is in an oxidized state. RECLAMATION COMPANIES AERC (Advanced Environmental Recycling Corporation)--Allentown PA: mercuric-oxides, fluorescent lamps. Subsidiary of Advanced Env. Recycling Corp. Began operation this year. Handles all types of mercury wastes and other precious metals. Agreement with one of the California fluorescent bulb recycling companies (Mercury Technologies, Inc.) to set up eight bulb recycling plants around the country. RCRA permited by Pennsylvania. B.C. Recycling--Salt Lake City UT: all types? TES company (below) uses BC for the batteries it collects. BDT, Inc--Clarence NY: Lithium, alkalines. Has RCRA Part B (a complete TSD--treatment, storage and disposal--permit) hazardous waste permitted facility. Patented shredding and spray/immersion process to neutralize reactive lithium, which is then sent to hazardous waste landfill (no reclamation), waste liquids further treated for disposal. No cited violations of hazardous waste regulations by state as of 1992. The new mercury-free alkalines will also be accepted for neutralization of their KOH electrolyte. Charge $4-$15/lb. Bethlehem Apparatus--Hellertown PA: Mercuric-oxides, 5 gal. minimum, pay for cells. Electric furnace & condensation recovery followed by triple distillation purification. Have full RCRA (part B) permit. Serve mainly battery manufacturers and industry. Pay $770/5 gallon bucket. INMETCO--Elwood City PA: NiCds, 400 lb. minimum. Subsidiary of International Nickel Co. (INCO). Rotary hearth furnace after shredding and pelletizing reduces the various metal oxides, submerged arc furnace smelting follows. High temperature process. Use KOH electrolyte to maintain alkaline pH for metals precipitation in their waste water treatment. The cadmium apparently volatilizes and is recovered with other metals from the air pollution control equipment (wet scrubber and baghouse) residue. There are many other NiCd reclaimers in the US, but they handle industrial size NiCds that are constructed with large individual plates the way vehicle batteries are, to be easy to disassemble. Applied for full RCRA (part B) permit. No known permit violations. Shipment must be manifested. Serve industry and some municipalities. Charge $0.23/lb with $400 minimum (~1 ton). $100 min. Chemical profile sample (one time). MERECO--Latham NY: All types, pay for mercury and silver cells. Lithium cells to BDT, NiCds tentatively to SNAM in France. Silver button cells to *another company or on site?. Alkalines and C-Zns to a hazardous waste landfill. Mercury cells baked, vapor collected by condensation and water trap; further purified with dilute nitric acid. MERECO was declared a superfund site due to its early activities (it is several decades old). In 1985 it removed mercury contaminated soils. It has been required by the state to add air pollution control equipment and to modify its storm drain system. It has applied for a full (part B) RCRA permit. A recent (1990 or 1991) inspection resulted in only minor record keeping violations; NY DEC feels it is being conscientious. Its new mercury recovery system is designed as a closed loop. Charges (Apr 1991): unsorted $0.50/lb alk., C-Zn $0.39/lb (haz waste landfilling) lithium $6/lb NiCd $0/lb or varies e.g. $0.42-.70/lb merc. ox. $1.50/lb ???? silver ox. Pay 1.05x spot market price Prices paid will change with market prices for silver and mercury, which are currently low. NIFE--Greenville NC: NiCds to Sweden, pay KOH electrolyte removed and purified for reuse. Nickel and Cadmium shipped to parent company in Sweden for closed loop reuse (used to make NiCd batteries). Have full RCRA (part B) permit. Pay $0-$0.70/lb, depending on volume. $100 minimum processing fee. Quicksilver Products--Brisbane CA: Mercury batteries Has full RCRA (part B) permit. All types of mercury wastes. Brochure does not mention reclamation method, or batteries specifically. charge 5 gal. special: $327, including the waste characterization fee. Reclamation & Recovery Inc (RRI)--Pecos TX: all types Major acceptor of batteries from industry including rejects from manufacturers. Claims to recycle or sell within the US all products including plastic and carbon. Lithium processing beginning in 1992. Applied for part A (temporary storage facility) RCRA permit. Attempt to claim battery heavy metals fit EPA definition of scrap metal (non hazardous) in literature. New operation. Planing to ship overseas when possible, probably for landfill or incineration, meaning they are charging much more than most peoples garbage bill. Associated with personnel from defunct and fined Pacific Environmental Corp. RRI may be former Basalt Industries of Texas, which was connected to employees of Pacific Env. Charges: $0.10 (alkalines) to 0.50/lb (discount if over 1 ton), mercury $2.50/lb. Universal Metals & Ore--Mount Vernon NY: NiCds to France or Asia; pay. Serve battery and appliance manufacturers, but take any amount. pay $0-0.20/lb, depending on quantity. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general From: drb@CS.CMU.EDU (Dean Benjamin) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? [3 of 3] Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1993 20:49:57 -0500 Second, a summary of regulations governing battery recycling: --begin forwarded message-- From: "Tony C. Tweedale" Subject: battery collection data enclosed To: drb@cs.cmu.edu CHAPTER 2: WASTE AND COLLECTION LAWS CURRENT AND PENDING HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONS RCRA (generally, title 40 CFR, parts 260-272, 1991 ed.) Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA, the nation's basic solid and hazardous waste management law, generators or treaters of any defined hazardous waste in amounts greater than 100 kg/month, or storers of up to 1,000 kg/month are small quantity generators (SQG's) and are subject to a set of "cradle-to-grave" treatment, transportation, storage and disposal regulations. Large generators (LQG's, generating or storing greater than 1,000 kg/month) are subject to an even more restrictive set of regulations. Importantly, if a listed regulated waste is mixed with a non-hazardous solid waste, such as water to dilute, the entire mixture normally is considered hazardous. Certain compounds -- including the metals of most concern in battery management -- cadmium, lead and mercury -- are hazardous wastes under RCRA and are regulated if treated, stored or generated in quantities greater than 100 kg/month. Battery wastes in solid form may be RCRA toxic if, after an extraction using the TCLP procedure, they are found in a concentration greater than: lead 5.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L) cadmium 1.0 mg/L mercury 0.2 mg/L (One mg/L = 1 part per million (ppm). Corresponds to .0001 of 1% (.0001%) concentration) According to industry, the new low mercury alkalines and C-Zn cells do not fail the RCRA toxicity characteristic leaching test for their metals content. EPA has not performed the test itself but tentatively accepts the industry's data (EPA Mar. 1992). Consequently collection of these type cells from even small and large quantity generators (greater than 100 and 1,000 kg/month) is not currently RCRA regulated. The required state of the battery in the TCLP test -- whole and uncorroded or partially crushed and leaking -- is a major determinant in its outcome. The highly alkaline or acidic electrolyte of batteries might make them fail the RCRA corrosivity test and also be regulated as hazardous wastes if they are collected, stored or handled in quantities greater than 100 kg a month. No collection program is known to have indicated this problem. A ban on disposing certain listed hazardous wastes on land, including some heavy metals such as some forms of mercury, was passed in the 1984 amendments to RCRA (the mercury ban went into effect in May of 1992). The land ban prohibits disposal even in licensed hazardous waste landfills, unless the compound is treated to meet specific standards (40 CFR 268 for specific waste streams). Certain hazardous wastes having high recoverable metal content are prohibited outright from land disposal (Gansecki). While elemental mercury is land banned, mercuric-oxide batteries, in sufficient quantities to be regulated, may not be if they meet the relevant concentration or technology based treatment standard (Gansecki). Several new mercury reclamation companies that are accepting these batteries indicates they may be, however. The RCRA regulatory state of battery collection is in flux. In August 1990 the EPA apparently provisionally declared that spent NiCds (in quantities greater than 100 kg/month) are a regulated waste (Electrical World). On the other hand, an exemption to RCRA regulation has been granted to the wet cell Pb-acid recycling industry, on the reclamation rationale, to encourage recycling. Some wastes can be exempted from RCRA regulations if they are reused as their original use or if a component constituent is reclaimed for reuse. These are "byproducts" and are exempt. However many metal recovery processes are subject to reduced regulation as reclaimed (40 CFR 266) "spent materials" (a solid waste) (Gansecki). NiCd and mercuric-oxide batteries are reported to be as useful secondary materials (by-products or spent material?) (DRMS). In addition to the storage amount limitations, a SQG storing RCRA hazardous wastes for longer than 6 months (90 days for LQG's), or storing for 1 minute such wastes generated off-site (except for transporters who are allowed 10 days at transfer facilities) becomes a treatment facility (a TSDF) and must obtain a RCRA permit. Under a part B permit the most restrictive regulations apply. A Part A permit only requires certain storage, transportation and notification practices, as well as the land disposal restriction. A battery collection program generating RCRA hazardous wastes need only an EPA ID number, a proper RCRA manifest, and be sure the wastes are properly transported and disposed of; so long as they don't store hazardous wastes in sufficient quantities and lengths of time to become a TSDF. RCRA does allow a "temporary accumulation" variance for recyclable (non-waste) hazardous materials beyond the storage limits (DRMS) under very strict conditions that can impose additional requirements (see 40 CFR 261.2, including (b)8 and table 1). This allows speculation and flexibility in finding markets. EPA is to clarify whether cells collected from conditionally exempt small quantity generator (CESQG) sources (less than 100 kg/month), and households (which are completely exempt no matter what their quantity) that are stored in large enough quantities (> 100 kg/mo.) to be RCRA regulated; will nonetheless be exempt from those regulations (Dry Cell). Several hazardous waste programs currently operate under this exemption, including the many small units of Region 1 of the US Forest Service here in Missoula (McNenny). EPA has for several years been discussing a "universal waste" regulation (similar to the one that has been granted to the lead-acid battery reclamation industry) applied to discrete, ubiquitous wastes such as motor oil and batteries, to encourage their recycling by making them exempt from these regulations. EPA is concerned that large quantities of heavily contaminated wastes would be illegally disposed of through these unregulated channels. In the meantime recycling efforts for these common household hazardous wastes have lagged as recyclers hesitate, not knowing if their business will be heavily regulated or not. The exemption rule is stuck in Office of Management and Budget review prior to public commenting (NEMA, Weinberg). EPA has this year interpreted RCRA to mean that RCRA wastes collected from unregulated households or CESQG's and regulated generators will not be regulated after being mixed (HHWMN Aug. 1992). This decision is meant to facilitate household hazardous waste collection by making it cheaper (unregulated disposal) and avoiding illegal activities. Municipalities can operate under the exemption (Gansecki). RCRA regulations cover transportation, coordinated with the DoT (below). A generator, treater or storer of regulated quantities of RCRA wastes must have an EPA ID number to ship them, and is responsible for maintaining the manifest that accompanies the waste to its final disposition, detailing its complete transit history and final sisposal. Most states exempt SQG's from manifest requirements though hazardous waste shippers may require them. HMTA (generally, title 49 CFR, parts 171-180, 1991 ed.) The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) of 1981, administered by the US Department of Transportation (DoT) Office of Hazardous Materials (usually directly if it is interstate transportation), works in conjunction with, and in addition to, EPA's RCRA shipping regulations for waste. The HMTA universe of regulated hazardous materials (substances and wastes) includes RCRA, Superfund and other wastes. Both the shipper and carrier of an HMTA listed material are responsible for a set of training, packing, labeling, handling, vehicle routing and package durability regulations, depending on the dangerous property class, 1-9, of the material. There are three packing group standards, in decreasing order of hazard (I-III) covering most classes. An alphabetized hazardous materials table (49 CFR 172.101-102), cross-referenced with the U.N. classification (49 CFR 172), gives this and labeling, transport mode and quantity limits information for most regulated items. According to a personal communication with the DoT, household type dry cell batteries are not HMTA regulated (Lavall). There is an entry in the hazardous materials table for "batteries, dry, containing potassium hydroxide solid, electric, storage" (for corrosivity), that applies to a special type of industrial battery to which water is added, despite the descriptions' similarity to household batteries. The only other specific dry-cell battery entry is for lithium cells containing greater than 0.5 g lithium each (the regulated quantity, basically those larger than botton size), due to lithiums' extreme reactivity. Collection programs assume the RCRA shipping requirements, from which households and generators of less than 100 kg a month are exempt, are the applicable transportation rule. Conceivably, if the quantity of a poisonous metal or corrosive electrolyte in a container is greater than the regulated quantity, it could cause the shipment to be subject to regulations. Again, though, the DoT seems to have decided not to regulate dry cell batteries (other than lithium), and identification on the shipping container and manifest saying "USED DRY CELL BATTERIES" would suffice (Weiss). Collection programs around the country ship via UPS and common carrier. Wet (with their electrolyte) electric storage batteries are exempt (49 CFR 173.159(e)) if transported by rail (part 174.810) or road (part 177.839(c)) alone, with terminals protected from short circuiting, and properly braced. Waste button lithium cells are exempted (49 CFR 173.185(j)) if they are packaged in "strong" outer packaging, their terminals protected from shorting, and do not contain more than 12 g (0.42 oz.) lithium (Reutlinger, CFR). OSHA The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act, administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), covers a very wide range of workplace safety rules, including exposure to hazardous materials. Operations with few employees are usually covered to some extent. A communication with a local office indicated that no specific OSHA regulations exist specifically for battery recycling (diTommaso). Applicable regulations for an operation with employees would include ambient air concentrations of hazardous materials, personal protective equipment, machine maintenace and materials labeling. OSHA also maintains the chemical hazard communication rule that requires manufacturers of hazardous chemicals to notify any employee (of any company that will handle the materials as they are sold and used, who may come into contact with them) of the hazards. Manufactured products such as batteries must have them. They are useful for determining the hazardous constituents of batteries and certain basic safety precautions. SUPERFUND There is no RCRA-like small quantity generator exemption from the strict -- i.e. no need to prove negligence -- and wide ranging Superfund (CERCLA) liability for helping create toxic waste sites. EPA has been discussing the possibility of such a rule, again to encourage legitimate recycling, but has not drafted one. Meantime this is a legitimate business worry. Parties determined by EPA to be responsible for pollution at a Superfund site are also jointly and severally liable, i.e. any one party has unlimited liability for other liable parties. A rule has been discussed to limit the liability of municipalities, generators and transporters that send hazardous substances to a future Superfund site to 4%, which could be paid with in-kind services (Weinberg). CERCLA also requires reporting to the National Response Center purposeful or accidental releases of listed hazardous compounds above their Reportable Quantity (RQ). EPA has just proposed lowering the RQ for lead compounds to 10 pounds (Weinberg) as part of its touted war on lead exposure. CURRENT/PROPOSED STATE, NATIONAL COLLECTION LAW Current state legislation concerning dry cells falls into approximately 5 categories: -reduction in heavy metal content -labeling on batteries in appliances that are built in, along with making these appliances so that the batteries can be removed by the consumer, -cell collection information at point of sale or with appliance, -reclamation or proper hazardous waste disposal requirements, -solid waste landfill or incineration bans. Several states (MN, NJ, OR, CT, NY and VT; at least) have passed mandates in some of these five areas (EPA Mar. 1992). As a result industry has begun to adopt them on a national level, especially reducing the mercury content of the common alkaline cells. The four manufacturers in the US of consumer alkalines -- Duracell, Eveready, Rayovac, and Matsushida (which manufactures Panasonic and Kodak cells) -- will be mercury free by the end of 1992 or sooner. Button cells will still contain small amounts of mercury (Balfour). Manufacturers' use of mercury has declined from 1100 tons (55% of US mercury consumption) to 276 tons in 1989 (15% of consumption in 1990) (Balfour), and will drop more as mercury in alkalines is eliminated, leaving mercuric-oxide cells as the industries' sole user of mercury. Mercuric-oxide and NiCd cells, with their high heavy metal content, would fall under recently proposed legislation (S. 2579, 102nd Congress) that covers all five areas listed above, and would require coding on cells for easy separation. Manufacturers would have to accept cells from collection programs and would bear the costs of reclamation or proper hazardous waste disposal. They would also have to advertise at point of sale that a "convenient" recycling method is available. Either the appliances or the cells (or battery packs) would have a label to the effect of: NICKEL-CADMIUM (OR SEALED LEAD-ACID) BATTERY. MUST BE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. (manufacturers name, possibly toll free telephone number or address) The bill was written with the participation of the dry-cell battery industry and is fully supported by the industry. It was marked up into the current draft of the RCRA reauthorization bill in the Senate with the approval of industry, and has an excellent chance of being passed in 1993 when the new congress reconsiders RCRA reauthorization. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.discussion From: gusciora+@N3.SP.CS.CMU.EDU (George Gusciora) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 01:18:04 -0500 From cs.general: >The problem is, the cost of processing most batteries exceeds the value of >the recovered metals. Therefore, it costs *you* money to recycle your >batteries. Of course it costs you money to recycle batteries. Who did you expect to pay for it? Me? YOU are the one who chose to recycle, YOU are the one telling someone to perform all these expensive metal extraction tasks, YOU are the one who puts value on decreasing the landfill size in this country by about 2 cubic inches, YOU should pay to have all these services done. It costs money because it consumes more resources to make batteries from batteries than it does to make batteries from rocks. Personally, I think the earth's resources should be consumed in a more useful way. But this is your decision. Me, I guess I just don't get that warm fuzzy feeling inside from knowing that my hard-earned (tm) money is being used to insure that the the next swipe of the next steam shovel in the world will only reach 10 feet into a pile of dirt as opposed to 10.001 feet. _______________________________________________________________________________ Newsgroups: cmu.cs.discussion From: drb@CS.CMU.EDU (Dean Benjamin) Subject: Re: Where to recycle batteries? Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 12:41:25 -0500 I observed: > Therefore, it costs *you* money to recycle your batteries. George replied: > Of course it costs you money to recycle batteries. > [...] YOU are the one who chose to recycle, > [...] YOU should pay to have all these services done. No argument. I agree. Yet I see a public danger due to the heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, and sometimes lead; but especially mercury) in batteries: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Approx consumer Battery type market share Metal of concern ------------ ---------------- -------------------------------------- Alkaline 75% (increasing) 1% mercury by weight (0.025% Hg in new low-Hg alkalines) Carbon-zinc 15% (dropping) 1% mercury Button cells 5% >35% mercury (HgO cells) Silver (AgO cells) Lithium (storage & shipping corrosion hazard) Nickel-cadmium 1% 17% cadmium Other 4% ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source: "Household battery recycling: Numerous obstacles, few solutions" by Reutlinger & deGrassi, Resource Recycling, Apr 1991, p 24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If I were appointed dictator, I'd mandate a deposit on batteries, refundable at appropriate collection centers. The deposit should not be punitive, but should cover expenses of collection and safe recovery or disposal. Probably 25-50 cents/battery, which is also a large enough incentive for consumers to cooperate. Government aside, what is one's moral responsibility here? I believe it is my responsibility not to endanger others by carelessly scattering these heavy metals. I've adjusted my behavior accordingly: I no longer buy alkalines (here's a case where altruism and economics coincide: over a lifetime of ~100 charge cycles, NiCads are about 1% as expensive as alkalines); and I impose an "user's fee" upon myself (ie, postage) to mail my dead NiCads to the recycler in Ellwood City. The address once again: INMETCO Attn: NiCad batteries for recycling PO Box 720 245 Portersville Rd Ellwood City, PA 16117 See also my followup on cs.general.