Why Are Batteries So Hard to Recycle?
Batteries are a great invention, but they’re also incredibly complicated. They can be dangerous if you don’t handle them properly, and if thrown into landfills, could cause grave problems to the environment. But in this video, Ajay Kochhar, CEO and CoFounder, Li-Cycle, has shown us that it is possible to recycle these batteries regardless of how dangerous they are.
Despite this, only a handful of the recycling companies in existence recycle batteries, and this is because of how expensive and dangerous the process is.
The cost of recycling batteries must be less than what it costs to make new ones—and if you consider how much energy goes into making one new battery out of scratch materials (like zinc), then you can see that this isn’t easy for anyone involved.
Batteries are a big part of modern life. They power our phones, cars, and other devices that we take for granted every day. But when it comes to recycling batteries, there’s still a lot of confusion among consumers about what they can do with their old batteries once they’re done using them.
In fact, many people don’t know where their spent or damaged alkaline batteries go when they’re recycled. That’s very dangerous because alkaline batteries contain materials that may be toxic if inhaled or ingested. Children or pets who come into contact with them through the waste stream are exposed to elements such as zinc oxide and cadmium.
Companies like Li-Cycle have shown us what is possible in the battery recycling industry and we believe in the rise of an alkaline battery recycling company like this one.
