FAQ's

Disposable:

1. What's the average shelf life of a disposable battery?

An Alkaline's average shelf life is 7 years.

2. Does the quality of the battery affect performance?

Yes. The worse the quality, the worse performance. Better quality, better performance.

3.How should I dispose of my batteries?

Today's batteries are reingeneered to contain low toxicity. So, you can dispose of them in the trash.

4.Why don't we recycle them anymore? Also, can we recycle them?

In 1997, the U.S. along with many international countries ruled out using mercury in batteries. After that, batteries became less hazardous, and therefor you don't need to recycle them. But, some companies do take disposable batteries for the heavy metals used to make the battery.

5. Are there any batteries left on the market that contain even a minimal amount of mercury?

Yes, button batteries do. But, very minimal amounts.

6. Are heavy duty batteries really heavy duty (carbon-zinc)?

No, they actually have less power than Alkalines.

Rechargeable

1.What does Ni-MH and Ni-CD mean?
Ni-MH means Nickel Metal Hydride, and Ni-CD means Nickel Cadmium.

2.How Do I dispose of Rechargeable batteries?

Ni-CD MUST be recycled, as Cadmium is extremely toxic. Ni-MH can be recycled, although there are no rules on it.

3. What's the difference between Ni-MH and Ni-CD?

Ni-MH provide up to 200% more power than Ni-CD.

4. Why are Lead-Acid Batteries so dangerous?

Lead is extremely toxic, and often Lead-Acid Batteries leach.

5. How do you dispose of Lead-Acid batteries?

You MUST recycle them. The Lead is extremely dangerous, flammable, and can be explosive. Plus, it is ILLEGAL to throw them away in the trash.

Evidence

Exploding Lead-Acid Battery Powered Wheel Chair

In 2008, an overhead cabin on a plane landing in the U.K. reportedly started to spark up. Blue sparks came out as the cabin was opened, and caused panic. The wheel chair was immediately taken out of the plane to a vehicle, where it caught on fire and explode. The reason was the Lead-Acid battery in the Wheelchair. This was due to overheating, as the device and battery were never unplugged. When overheated, hydrogen and oxygen in the battery builds up, and usually comes out of a vent. But, the vent wasn't working properly, and the wheelchair itself was confined in a cabin, so the accumulated gases caused sparks, and eventually, an explosion. The force can blow up the casing, cause shrapnel, and spraying acid, which is most dangerous. The way to prevent this, is to always unplug your batteries from your devices. Never let it heat up, and always take it to a company to check it. Also, contact airline companies, and other public service related offices/companies to see what you can do to ensure safety.

Case Study 2

Ipod Explosion in Japan

A IPod Nano owner reported having their Nano overheat, and started to shoot sparks out while charging. The cause of the explosion? The Lithium Ion battery in the IPod. The IPod was in a case charging and after a short while, overheated, and caused the battery to spark up, and go into flames. Even a small Lithium Ion Battery could create a decent sized explosion. When it’s hot enough to ignite an electrolyte, you get a small fire. The fire moves through the components in the iPod, and when it hits the other cells in the IPod, BOOM! Not really a big boom, but big enough to attract your attention and potentially scare you. Even injure you, as you might be burned, or part of your house could be burned. Currently, experts are doing a lot of research and the best they can to prevent this. Companies have also recalled a lot of products. Apple was forced to recall 1.8 million laptops in 2006 due to Lithium Ion batteries, Dell had to recall 4 million laptop batteries after one exploded in Japan, just to name a few. So, be careful, and if your device is getting old, get it checked!

Lead in Jamaican Environments

In Jamaica, Lead from Lead-Acid Batteries has been found in the soil, water sources, and all throughout waste landfills. The people of Jamaica are being poisoned a lot, and is becoming more and more common. 112 individuals of all ages were tested, and more than 80% had traces of Lead in their bloodstream. Children that are younger than 12 have been found to have lead in their blood, 84% of all soil in 24 households contained high levels of lead. More and more people that come in contact of battery stores or stores that sell technology are being poisoned by lead, and more and more people are getting very sick

Written Statement

The world is getting more and more polluted every day. We know that Oil spills, littering, CO2 emissions, etc, all make the world a dirtier place. But, what most people don’t know is that common household batteries can be very hazardous also. One of the most used sources of energy, Batteries are becoming more and more popular; that being said, more and more batteries are being used, but not properly disposed of, which is causing the environment mass pollution and can potentially harm our health. The common alkaline or carbon-zinc battery doesn’t really pollute much, except for the heavy metals used to make the battery that might vaporize and pollute the air. But, rechargeable batteries, like Nickel Cadmium or Nickel Metal Hydride can be very harmful. These batteries can be very toxic, and pollute water sources and other resources, etc. Nickel Cadmium batteries can leach, and when leaching starts, Cadmium, an extremely toxic chemical element, can make its way towards streams and other water sources. Nickel is semi-toxic and much less dangerous than Cadmium, but is nonetheless still dangerous. Lithium Ion batteries, another form of Rechargeable batteries, don’t leach, and also don’t have toxic materials, but are prone to exploding or igniting. Lead Acid batteries, the most harmful of all, can not only explode or catch on fire, but leach Lead into water sources, which can be extremely dangerous. Even a small amount of lead can cause brain and kidney damage. To prevent this from further polluting our world, we must put more laws and regulations on how to dispose batteries. In the U.K., there have been recent laws that require stores that sell batteries to set up battery recycle centers, whether it be an actual center, or just a bin. These efforts help, A LOT! In the U.S., many states have stated that it is ILLEGAL to throw away Lead-Acid batteries in normal trash, as it is too dangerous and harmful to people. We can also make people more aware of buying rechargeable batteries, and when not usable, to recycle them, as they can leach Cadmium or Nickel, both of which can be toxic. Every year, more and more people are recycling Lead-Acid batteries, and it’s one of the most successful recycle programs. It’s laws and regulations that help make people more aware. You can help now, by informing friends, relatives, and family about Batteries! You can also help by gathering all your batteries, taking them to the Town Council building, and recycle them! Help the World be a cleaner place!

Article Summaries

Title Tricks to keep your device’s battery going and going	Summary In this article, you learn how to extend your battery life. This can be very helpful, as some batteries will have less battery life as you charge it more and more. But, Lithium Ion Batteries, (present day rechargeable batteries), don’t overcharge and don’t suffer reduced battery life. This can really help save power in your devices, and also save energy in the world!
Author Eric A. Taub
Date Published March 10,2010
Source New York Times
Web Link http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/technology/11basics.html

Summary Table of Article Summaries

Title International Battery Recycling Congress	Summary This article talks about a international meeting that took place in 2003 to discuss issues about batteries. It shows that there are people/groups in the world that care about the environment, and are getting together, cooperating, and working towards good results. At this conference, they will decide what batteries can be used, laws of battery production, etc.
Author Editorial Staff
Date Published April 01,2003
Source Recycling Bizz
Web Link http://www.recyclingbizz.com/glass/LA770145.html?affilid=100001

Title Battery Recycling Law in force	Summary This article states that new laws on battery recycling in the U.K. have been set. 97% of all batteries are thrown away, and pollute great water sources in the U.K. Thousands of shops will have recycle centers, and any shop that sells more than a pack of batteries a day will need to have a recycle center. There have been many laws made, and this one is a follow up on 2006 EU batteries directive.
Author Martin Hickman
Date Published February 01, 2010
Source The Independent
Web Link http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/batteryrecycling-law-in-force-1885170.html

Title Cause of Battery Fire identified	Summary This article talks about why lithium batteries catch on fire or explode. Lithium batteries quickly overheat, and can cause dendrites to short circuit, and catch on fire. This article shows the dangers of batteries, and if not disposed of correctly, could potentially explode somewhere.
Author BBC
Date Published May 17, 2010
Source
Web Link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/8687963.stm

Title Batteries: The power behind the phone	Summary This article talks about how the battery has evolved since the first one made. It gives a history on the battery, and talks about scientists’ first discovery of battery-like materials. It states that nowadays, scientists are working hard to get batteries to deliver the most power they can, so we can have double, or triple, or 10 times the amount we have now. Towards the end, it also gives tips on how to extend your device battery life, and how to make the most of it.
Author The Independent
Date Published January 10, 2010
Source The Independent
Web Link http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/batteries-the-power-behind-the-phone-1872933.html