Without batteries, life in the 21st century would come to a screeching halt. At times it seems like the rotation of the Earth itself battery powered. But batteries generate power with the aid of toxic heavy metals like mercury and lead. And hundred of millions, if not billions, of batteries adding heavy metals to the soil and groundwater every year do not a healthy future make.
The disposal of batteries is akin to the disposal of any non-biodegradable commodities, like disposable diapers, Styrofoam, and PCP loaded insecticides. Humankind has decided we can’t live without them, but much to our chagrin, we have finally earned that we can’t live with them for every much longer without paying some very serious environmental consequences.
A market driven economy is dependent on continuing demand if it is to survive, and disposable items are essential to continuing demand. If everyone who ever bought a battery for each of his or her appliances never needed to buy another, battery makers would either have to keep inventing new essential appliances, or hope that every person on Earth reproduces tenfold. An expectation of obsolescence is built in to our approach to our possessions. Those which do not wear out we simply replace after a while to enjoy the novelty of their replacements.
Environmental Effects
The disposal of batteries which have been exhausted is a prime example of this throw-away mentality. Enough improper disposal of batteries over the past century has occurred that their toxic mercury is now in the food chain, affecting marine life to an unprecedented extent. Many of the fish upon which poorer nations have depended for their survival are no longer safe to eat. Mercury poisoning can lead to severe mental and physical impairment in humans, and even to madness.
The disposal of batteries into landfills is taking space that could be used for biodegradable products. Landfills were not meant to be dumping grounds for all the toxic refuse from which we want to separate themselves; and if they cannot degrade in an environmentally safe manner, they will add to the pollution problem, not help solve it.
The Current Situation
The irresponsible disposal of batteries in the past, however, had finally led to some changes in the battery industry. Thanks to the ongoing efforts from economic and environmental experts, and some enlightened minds within the battery industry, rechargeable batteries have been introduced to the market and are slowly increasing their market share.
Battery manufacturers, however, are not about to abandon traditional batteries, which are a much higher profit item than the rechargeable ones. As recently as 2005, when US consumers spent more that $40,000,000,000 on traditional batteries, and the disposal of those batteries will have to be done properly. The battery industry, like every other, exists to make money, and as much money as possible. If there is to be a solution to the disposal of batteries, it will not come by manufacturers phasing out their high profit throw way battery lines.
It will have to come from educated, environmentally concerned consumers deciding to pay the extra money to buy rechargeable batteries and chargers, or solar powered electronic devices, or at the very lest, extended life disposable batteries. With a concerted effort, they can move enough money the traditional battery to the alternative battery market, and the environment will be the winner.
You can also find more info on Disposal Batteries and Duracell Batteries. lastbatteries.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Battry and its types.
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