Batteries contain a number of heavy metals and toxic chemicals and disposing of them by the same process as regular household waste has raised concerns over soil contamination and water pollution.
Most types of batteries can be recycled. However, some batteries are recycled more readily than others, such as lead-acid batteries. Lead-acid batteries include but are not limited to: car batteries, golf cart batteries, UPS batteries, industrial fork-lift batteries, motorcycle batteries etc. These are recycled by grinding them, neutralizing the acid and separating the polymers from the lead. The recovered materials are used in a variety of applications including new batteries. The casing of a lead-acid battery is often made of plastics either polypropylene or ABS, which can also be recycled.
Lithium-ion batteries can also be recycled. They contain lithium and high grade copper and aluminium. Depending on the active material, they may also contain cobalt and nickel. Other potentially valuable and recoverable materials are graphite and manganese. Energy saving and effective recycling solutions for lithium-ion batteries can reduce the carbon footprint of the production of lithium-ion batteries significantly.
