The neglected recycling issue
With our love of gadgets, digital cameras and MP3 players, TV remotes and multi-function electric toothbrushes, we are using more and more batteries each year. But how many of them get recycled?
In the UK we throw away up to 30,000 tonnes of batteries each year but we recycle just 1,000 tonnes. There is only one plant in the UK capable of recycling the batteries used in hand-held equipment. Based in Birmingham, it has the capacity to recycle 1,500 tonnes of batteries per annum but last year it received just 200 tonnes of batteries for recycling.
The UK's level of battery recycling is one of the worst in Europe. We manage to recycle just 2% of our batteries compared to almost 60% for Belgium and the main reason for this is that there are very few collection points for the expired cells. Whilst local authorities are keen to recycle newspapers, bottles and cans, very few know what to do with batteries. Even though they are classed as toxic waste, containing materials such as lead, zinc, cadmium and corrosive chemicals, most of our batteries end up as landfill.
An EU Directive came into force during September intended to encourage us to recycle more batteries. Under the directive, every neighbourhood should have a battery recycling scheme and by 2016 the intention is that at least half of all batteries sold will be recycled. At present it is hard to find recycling points, although some of the electrical retailers have provided collection points in their stores.
So next time you are about to throw some old batteries in the rubbish bin, think again and ask yourself if you could drop them into a recycling point somewhere instead.
18th October 2008