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| Position Statement:
Management of Post-Consumer Primary Batteries: January, 2001 |
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As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance
alkaline batteries, we at Duracell recognize our responsibility
to help protect the environment. We are committed to designing,
manufacturing, and distributing consumer batteries in a way
that minimizes the impact to the environment, and we also participate
in the battery industry’s efforts to ensure the safe disposal
of consumer batteries.
The following provides background information on the management
of used consumer primary batteries and describes our position. |
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BACKGROUND |
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There are concerns about the disposal of batteries containing
toxic metals. In the past, mercury was added to alkaline
and zinc carbon batteries. In addition, mercuric oxide,
nickel cadmium (NiCd) and sealed lead acid batteries contain
sufficient amounts of mercury, cadmium and lead to be of environmental
concern if disposed of improperly.
By 1993 all major European, American and Japanese battery manufacturers
eliminated added mercury from their standard alkaline and zinc
carbon batteries. This voluntary initiative represents
a major technological achievement benefiting the environment.
Mercury free primary consumer batteries are composed mainly
of common metals – steel, zinc and manganese -- and do
not pose a health or environmental risk in normal use or disposal.
Many countries have followed up this initiative with industry-supported
legal limits/bans on added mercury in primary batteries.
The absence of toxic metals in primary batteries means they
are safe to dispose of in the normal trash and are generally
not regulated as hazardous or toxic waste. Standard alkaline
and zinc carbon batteries pass the U.S. EPA’s Toxicity
Characteristic Leaching Procedure Test and are not regulated
as hazardous waste in the U.S. Similarly, they are not
regulated as hazardous or dangerous wastes by Japan or the European
Union.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that landfilling primary
batteries does not pose an environmental risk. Studies
carried out by Fukuoka University in Japan and the Institute
for Risk Research at the University of Waterloo in Canada concluded
that alkaline, zinc carbon, and zinc chloride batteries
can be landfilled without significant environmental risk.
These studies predated mercury elimination and took into account
the presence of mercury in batteries.
Systems for collecting consumer batteries have a greater detrimental
environmental impact than the environmental benefits gained
from recycling these batteries, and carry a significant financial
burden. A study conducted for the UK Department
of Trade and Industry used a Life Cycle Assessment approach
to evaluate the environmental tradeoffs and costs associated
with various models for collecting and recycling consumer batteries.
The study concluded that while recycling does divert metals
from the waste stream, these benefits are outweighed by the
detrimental environmental impacts of collection and transport.
The study also concluded that there is little evidence to suggest
that there are significant environmental impacts associated
with mercury, cadmium and lead free batteries in the municipal
waste stream, and the financial costs of collection and recycling
systems are significant.
In the interest of resource conservation, the U.S. and European
battery industry has developed a recycling technology for primary
batteries that is cost effective, environmentally beneficial,
and safe. Although primary batteries do not contain toxic metals
of concern and can be disposed of safely in the normal trash,
we recognize the importance of conserving resources for future
generations. We have validated the feasibility of recycling
primary batteries that do not contain mercury in Electric Arc
Furnaces used by the steel industry. However, although
much progress has been made on developing this technology, the
costs and environmental burden of widespread collection and
transportation systems are higher than the environmental benefits
obtained from recycling.
The battery industry successfully and voluntarily collects and
recycles batteries that contain heavy metals of concern (NiCd,
lead acid, and mercuric oxide batteries) in many countries,
such as the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, and some European
countries. Cost effective and environmentally beneficial
recycling technologies are generally available for these types
of batteries. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation
in the U.S. operates a model program for the voluntary collection
of rechargeable batteries. |
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POSITION STATEMENT |
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Duracell advocates sound environmental management of post-consumer
primary batteries and supports the following principles:
• There is little evidence to suggest that there are any
significant environmental impacts associated with disposing
of primary (alkaline and zinc carbon) batteries. Since
mercury has been eliminated from these batteries, they can be
landfilled without any significant environmental impact.
• There is no net environmental benefit to be gained
from the mandatory collection and recycling of household primary
(alkaline and zinc carbon) batteries. We support voluntary
recycling initiatives where they can be accomplished in an environmentally-sound
and safe manner, and where benefits for the environment are
at least proportional to the burdens arising from collection
and recycling activities.
• Governments should focus their current efforts
on collecting and recycling batteries that contain significant
quantities of hazardous materials, such as NiCd, mercuric oxide,
and lead acid batteries.
• Elimination of added mercury in cylindrical standard
alkaline and zinc carbon batteries should be mandated in all
regions of the world.
• Any decision to collect and recycle post-consumer
primary batteries must carefully weigh several factors including:
the low toxicity of the battery materials (e.g. steel, zinc,
and manganese); the total energy requirements and environmental
impacts associated with collection, transport, and recycling;
the amount and value of the metals recovered; and the overall
cost.
• Duracell will continue to work cooperatively with
governments and other public groups to achieve the best solution
for managing post-consumer batteries.
Although these principles are global in nature, it is
understood that interpretation and implementation will vary
somewhat among geographies. |
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