January 13, 2004

By: Adalie Schnider
Website: http://www.1st-in-batteries.com

New Basel guidelines to improve recycling of old batteries

"Since ancient times, lead has brought us great benefits but also innumerable poisonings, particularly amongst workers and children," said Executive Director Klaus Töpfer of the United Nations Environment Programme, under whose auspices the Basel Convention was adopted. "The recycling of lead-acid batteries is one of the greatest potential sources of risk, especially for exposed workers in the informal sector in many developing countries. The safe recycling of these batteries requires strict environmental and occupational standards that can only be ensured by specialized firms, of which only a few are found in developing countries," he said.

Malleable and resistant to corrosion, lead is the most widely used metal after iron. Of the 2.5 million tons produced worldwide every year, some 75% goes into the lead-acid batteries used in automobiles, industrial facilities and portable tools. Lead has been mined for at least 8,000 years and was probably one of the first health and safety issues in the workplace. Reports of lead poisoning date to ancient Greece, and high levels of lead have been found in ancient Egyptian mummies. Until recently, artists and craftsmen routinely wetted brushes with their mouths, accidentally ingesting lead-containing pigments.

In many developing countries, retired batteries are still broken manually using an axe. This is extremely dangerous to the workers. Inhaling dust, fumes or vapours dispersed in the workplace air can lead to acute lead poisoning. The more common problem, however, is chronic poisoning from absorbing low amounts of lead over long periods of time. Lead is absorbed into the body through the lungs or the mouth, and about 90% of it accumulates in the bones. Early symptoms of lead poisoning are tiredness, headache, aching bones and muscles, forgetfulness, loss of appetite and sleep disturbance. This is followed by constipation and attacks of intense pain in the abdomen, called lead colic.

As more lead is absorbed into the body, paralysis sets in. This affects the radial nerve in particular, causing "wrist drop". In the final stages, the victim suffers convulsions, coma, delirium and possibly death. Children are more susceptible to lead poisoning than adults and may suffer permanent neurological damage. Lead can damage the human foetus, so pregnant women should not work with lead. Mammals suffer similar effects; cattle, for example, sicken and die when they consume lead from oils or farm equipment left abandoned in their pasture.

For more information, see cheap cell phone batteries.

About The Author:

Adalie Schnider is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-batteries.com.  A great resource for batteries of all kinds including camcorder, laptop, cell phone and more.