The modern world runs on batteries. Recent attention towards Electric Vehicles, along with the continued interest in portable devices has ensured batteries as a mainstay in the tech landscape. While convenient to deploy, they soon become a responsibility to handle.
Batteries age quickly. In fact, a worn-out battery is one of the most common issues in year-old devices. Like any e-waste, old batteries are usually discarded poorly and are subjected to a traditional waste management system. This guarantees that the once useful battery now exerts a negative impact on the environment.
Understanding this impact is essential in managing the future of your business and associated brand, especially in how your organization handles the battery problem. Now, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, addressing batteries is all but necessary:
How Batteries Impact the Environment?
Batteries have a significant impact on the environment from the very beginning. First, producing batteries requires mining into the earth for lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This process is not only fatal to miners’ health but also releases an unfathomable amount of dust and toxins into the air.
Due to the low lifespan of batteries, these hard-mined minerals soon find their way in unintended places. This causes the toxic substances to leak out into the world, potentially contaminating soil and water sources.
As such, batteries exert a heavy toll on the environment. While mining for raw materials is difficult to control, managing batteries as e-waste is in the organization’s hands.
Risks Associated with Old Batteries
Old batteries often find themselves in landfills, where reactions release hazardous chemicals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. Ecological damage is guaranteed. However, the risks here are not limited to wildlife and plants but extend to humans. Toxic water can reach households and be consumed, leading to advanced health complications. Improper disposal has also been linked with fatal fires and explosions.
WEEE Obligations
Businesses that use batteries in their products must be aware of their obligations under the WEEE directive. The directive places responsibility on manufacturers and distributors to ensure the proper collection, and recycling, along with providing information to consumers about safe disposal.
As an organization, it’s best to treat WEEE not as a forced compliance, but as a strategic decision. These directives seek to establish a more environmentally responsible image of your company, an aspect valued by the modern consumer. Circular Compliance services can help you with compliance management, while you focus on innovating your product!
