Jun 29, 2020 Pageview:916
Lithium batteries are among the favourite batteries among consumers and manufacturers, and everything is thanks to the properties it inhibits. Its properties allow lithium batteries to be used for almost everything, from household appliances to electric vehicles.
The battery’s wide usage made many manufacturers produce them for a lot of amounts each year. Unfortunately, they are not rechargeable, and thus lithium battery owners have to throw the batteries away when the batteries are done. But where do they go when a consumer no longer uses the batteries? In this article, we will discuss lithium battery recycling and concerns surrounding it.
Where can I recycle lithium battery near me?
Before we talk about the recycling lithium battery, let’s talk about lithium battery itself first.
A lithium battery is a battery has metal form and nothing else. Unlike its relative, lithium-ion, lithium batteries cannot be recharged.
But don’t underestimate their popularity, since lithium batteries made up of at least 28% battery sales in Japan. It also has many kinds of form due to it being used by many devices. From normal batteries to batteries for watches, we guarantee you will find some of them in lithium form.
Although the battery is widely used, it does not mean that it has no setbacks. Some lithium batteries have the possibility of getting discharged rapidly, and this can lead to overheating of the battery. Some of them are protected by thermal protector or has vents to prevent explosion or things related to it.
There was also a case where a plane’s lihtium-ion batteries had troubles that lead to the plane’s electrical damage. Due to this case, many countries ban air shipping of lithium batteries or flying when one has lithium batteries.
The batteries’ wide range of form is, surprisingly, also a part that makes it problematic. The small size of button batteries made children feel attracted to them. The battery’s size has led to some children ended up swallowing them, giving ingestion trouble
Lithium Battery and the Environment
Each region of every country has different regulations when it comes to disposing of unused lithium batteries. There are, however, some concerns regarding battery disposal. A battery is made of many parts, and some parts can be harmful for the environment. That’s why it’s important for you to do some steps before disposing of your lithium batteries.
Disposing Lithium Battery Properly
Here are some things you should do to ensure safe battery disposal:
1.Make sure that they are separated from flammable materials. When you throw your batteries, make sure you keep them separately from the flammable materials. This is to prevent the unnecessary spread of fire in case the worst-case scenario, which is exploding batteries happen.
2. Since the batteries are not ordinary materials, it is best to keep them separately from normal garbage. Meaning, you should not put it in the normal blue recycling bin. This also means that you do not put them in the same place as regular waste.
3.Since batteries are not ordinary batteries, it also means that it needs to be sealed properly. So when it goes into the disposal area, there is little to chance of the battery being crushed or punctured by other things.
4.If you want to throw many batteries all at once, it’s better to throw them in small quantities. If you want to throw them in large quantities, make sure that the exposed connectors are sealed properly.
Is it illegal to throw away lithium battery?
In some states, throwing away lithium battery is considered illegal if the person throws it with regular waste. The illegal status is due to the hazardous nature of the battery. There are also other reasons why throwing lithium battery is disastrous for some parts:
Poison for the Environment
Although not all, there are some lithium batteries that contain toxic metal such as cobalt. Cobalt can be dangerous for the environment, especially when it slowly breaks down. So unless you know how to recycle the batteries and managing the cobalt, it’s best not to recycle the battery by yourself.
Damage the Body
We’re not talking about eating the batteries here. We are talking about how the batteries can affect the things surrounding us if they break down. As it has been stated before, if they are broken down, batteries can leak dangerous chemical that can seep into the surrounding. This causes a chain reaction, and there is a possibility of us being exposed to the surrounding affected by the harmful chemical. For example, there is a chance of you inhaling cobalt. This can lead to a serious problem for your health that can last for a lifetime. that’ s why it’s best to give the batteries to professional recyclers unless you know how to do it by yourself.
Potential of Fire Damage
It has been stated already, but we will mention it again. This is to emphasize that fire can actually happen because of lithium battery. Cellphones exploded for a reason, and lithium battery can be one of the reasons that contribute to the explosion. Usually, this happens when the battery has reached its final life span. You can see it when the surface of the battery is no longer flat (for cellphone batteries).
To prevent fire damage, you must store lithium batteries in a cool and dry place. At least, have a storage that is coated so that the fire won’t spread out if it actually happens inside the storage.
How do you think about lithium battery recycling service?
If you want to throw your unused lithium battery but has no professional experience, lithium battery recycling service is the answer for you. All you need to do is turned in your battery according to the procedure given by the service.
It should be noted, however, that not all recycle service does accept lithium battery. Before turning in your battery, it’s best to see whether the service accepts lithium batteries or not. Once you’ve confirmed it, then you can turn your beloved batteries in.
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