Chelyabinsk entrepreneur Vladimir Matsyuk was one of the first in Russia to begin recycling batteries, which are collected for him by Media Markt and IKEA. The business is still tiny, but very promising

Chelyabinsk entrepreneur Vladimir Matsyuk (Photo: Ekaterina Kuzmina / RBC)

​Waste fishery

Matsyuk, who grew up in Soviet Kazakhstan, personal experience knew how to use resources carefully. “There were often supply problems there,” the entrepreneur recalls in an interview with RBC. “That’s why my mother made candied fruits from the skins of the oranges she ate, and from the seeds of sea buckthorn, if you insisted on them.” sunflower oil, the result was a disinfecting oil. For me then it was the natural course of things.”

In the late 1990s, Matsyuk graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the South Ural state university(Chelyabinsk) and began to combine teaching and work in commercial structures. In 2004, he decided to take the summer internship of students in the course “organization theory” seriously, inviting them to create a company for real. The students themselves came up with the name of the company - “Megapolisresurs”, and then began to decide what it would do. Matsyuk already had experience in solving “environmental” issues for Chelyabinsk companies, so it was decided to focus on an understandable topic (waste paper recycling). But the practice quickly ended, and Matsyuk felt a taste for business. “I decided, let there be waste, but with precious metal, we need to extract the valuable contents from it and lower the hazard class,” he recalls.

Matsyuk I decided to start collecting fixer - a solution that is used to fix images on film or paper. Depending on the type of shooting (black and white, color, x-ray) when fixing up to 70% of silver contained in photographic paper (from 5 to 40 g per 1 sq. m ), goes into solution, from which silver can be quite easily extracted. “The main thing was to correctly determine the purchase price of the used solution, so that it would make sense for laboratories to store it and sell it to us,” recalls Matsyuk . According to the entrepreneur, a liter of fixer is purchased at a price of 40 to 70 rubles: “Using electrolysis, you can extract up to 4 G silver." At current silver prices (about 27 rubles per gram) per liter of fixer “ Megapolisresurs "can earn about 110 rubles. To start this business (mainly to purchase equipment) Matsyuk spent $20 thousand. I became profitable within eight months. Profit was 25-30% of revenue. Silver obtained in the form of granules " Megapolisresurs » sells to jewelers (clients include Velikiy Ustyug "Northern Chern" plant).

Photo: Ekaterina Kuzmina / RBC

In 2008, the business of extracting silver from photographic solutions was added to the business of extracting it from films. “At first they thought that silver could be washed off from films using harsh chemicals, but these are people manual labor, high degree danger, but I want to sleep peacefully,” Matsyuk recalls. - Found biological solution— special bacteria transform the film into gelatin, from which silver is then extracted. The whole procedure is close to the dangers of cheese production.”

In 2009, Megapolisresurs began to recycle microcircuits and electronics (medical and office equipment), in which, in addition to silver, there is gold and other rare metals. Requirements for recycling various equipment were introduced in 2002 federal law“On environmental protection”, and for violating them, companies faced a fine of 100 thousand to 250 thousand rubles. or suspension of activities for up to six months. “The first clients were consulates and foreign companies: they were terribly afraid of our laws, according to which we cannot just throw away computers,” recalls Matsyuk. Now “Megapolisresurs” actively serves government agencies on this topic - in the last two years alone, according to the government procurement website, Matsyuk’s company has won more than 40 competitions for the disposal of various equipment for total amount about 2.5 million rubles.

Batteries are also waste

The idea to recycle batteries was given to Matsyuk “from the audience.” In 2013, when an entrepreneur spoke at a conference, he was asked why he recycles circuit boards but does not recycle batteries. “I replied that we could use batteries, but no one collects them in sufficient quantities,” says Matsyuk. After the conference, one of the public organizations St. Petersburg, which collected 2 tons of used batteries. For Megapolisresurs this was the first experience of working with batteries.

How batteries are recycled

To recycle batteries, Megapolisresurs uses a production line on which microcircuits are recycled. First of all, the batteries are crushed and the iron elements are separated using a special magnetic tape. Manganese and zinc (in the form of salts), as well as graphite, are extracted from the resulting polymetallic mixture in several stages of leaching. In total, the four extractable cells account for 80% of the battery mass. The production lines of Megapolisresurs allow the processing of up to 2 tons of batteries per day. Battery recycling takes about four days.

In 2013, the Media Markt network decided to launch a battery collection project, which chose Megapolisresurs as a recycling partner (the companies had already collaborated on photographic solutions). For a retail chain this is social project(in Germany, over half of the batteries sold are recycled). At the start of the project, it turned out that batteries were not included in the Russian waste classification; Media Markt and Megapolisresurs spent almost six months correcting this deficiency and other organizational measures. “The total weight of batteries sent for recycling in 2014 was about 18 tons,” a Media Markt representative told RBC. “This is more than double what we planned when we launched the project (7 tons).” Matsyuk’s company also donates its batteries to IKEA (three points in Moscow, about 6.5 tons collected), the VkusVill store chain (56 points in Moscow, 1.4 tons), as well as retail chains in several regions (several dozen points).

Garbage resource

565 million batteries was sold in Russia in 2013

30 tons of batteries reworked Megapolisresurs in 2014

2 tons of batteries Megapolisresurs can process per hour

70 rub. — cost of recycling 1 kg of batteries

1.5 million rubles. the company earned money from recycling batteries in 2014

100 million rub. — total revenue of Megapolisresurs

Sources: company data, Greenpeace Russia, RBC calculations

For "Megapolisresurs" » battery recycling - small, but promising business. Unlike fixer, films and computers for batteries Matsyuk Not only does he not pay, but he also receives money - from the companies that collect it. “We pay 70 rubles for recycling 1 kg of batteries,” the director of public relations told RBC. VkusVill" Evgeniy Shchepin . “At the same time, we have to deliver the batteries to the warehouse ourselves.” Megapolisresource " in Moscow. They do not provide transportation services yet.” Manager eco-project Media Markt Alena Yuzefovich in November 2014 told online publication Recycle that the “starting price tag” Megapolisresource “For transportation and recycling of a kilogram of batteries - about 110 rubles.” The company does not make money from partners, but charges them only the cost of delivery and recycling of batteries: “70 rubles. - This average cost recycling 1 kg of batteries,” states Matsyuk . According to him, income from recycling batteries in 2014 amounted to 1.5 million rubles.

Most of this amount was contributed by battery collectors; Matsyuk is not yet very good at selling recycling products. From 1 ton of batteries you can get 288 kg of manganese, 240 kg of zinc, and about 47 kg of graphite. “The content of manganese (28.8%) and zinc (24%) in batteries is higher than in the richest ores (up to 26%), notes Matsyuk. “If we look at batteries as raw materials and not as waste, we see a unique deposit that contains a lot of valuable raw materials.” But this is theoretical. In practice, only the iron from the batteries can be sold: it goes to the Mechel plant in Chelyabinsk. Sales of non-ferrous metal salts are still difficult: “The volumes are small and of little interest to wholesale buyers, and selling retail for laboratories is too labor-intensive.”

According to RBC calculations, if Megapolisresource sold chemically pure metal, then 1.4 tons of graphite, 8.6 tons of manganese and 7.2 tons of zinc extracted from 30 tons of batteries could bring the company about $50 thousand (about 1.9 million rubles at the average ruble exchange rate in 2014; based on market prices for metals). But in order to obtain manganese and zinc in the form of metal, an additional investment of $1.5 million is needed, says Matsyuk.

The crisis has failed

The main sources of income for Megapolisresurs are still the recycling of office equipment and photo waste. In 2014, these areas, according to the entrepreneur, brought the company a total of 100 million rubles. (in approximately equal shares). In 2013, according to Kontur.Focus, the company’s revenue amounted to 49 million rubles, and net profit - 7.7 million rubles.

Matsyuk expects recycling volumes to increase. “In December 2014, amendments were adopted to the law “On Production and Consumption Waste”, which oblige the manufacturer to pay either a recycling fee for its products or undertake obligations for its partial return collection,” says Matsyuk. “But while there are no relevant by-laws, it is unclear how this will all work.”

In the case of batteries, if at least 10% of what is sold is recycled (in 2014, according to Matsyuk, 8 thousand tons were sold), this will allow Megapolisresurs to earn over 100 million rubles annually.

In 2015, Matsyuk plans to earn 220 million rubles. for the disposal of office equipment and approximately 100 million rubles. — on the extraction of silver from films and solutions. How realistic are these plans? Last year, Megapolisresurs ended with a loss (Matsyuk did not disclose its size) due to a 20% drop in silver prices in the second half of the year (from $20 to $16 per troy ounce). As a result, the companies Megapolisresurs and Fractal (also owned by Matsyuk) did not fulfill previously concluded contracts for processing scrap containing precious metals (for example, with the Research Institute semiconductor devices- by 3.8 million rubles), and for the supply of silver (to the Severnaya Chern plant - by 427 thousand rubles, to the Jewelry Dragmetal company - by 3.6 million rubles). This, as follows from the file of arbitration cases in the Pravo.ru system, forced the company’s partners to go to court. “We took out loans and purchased equipment based on silver prices of $30-35 per troy ounce, and were forced to sell metal at prices almost half as low,” notes Matsyuk. In January 2015, he registered a new company, Megapolisresurs, in Kurgan.

Moscow competitors

In Moscow, in addition to Megapolisresurs, several other companies accept batteries for recycling: Ecoprof LLC - 580 rubles each. for 1 kg, Megapolis-Group LLC - 100 rubles. for 1 kg. Their employees could not say by phone whether these companies have their own battery processing capabilities.

Almost all modern portable equipment runs on the energy of AA batteries. Of course, this is very convenient: such a source of electricity is very compact, inexpensive and versatile, because it has standard sizes and shapes. But at the same time, AA batteries are attracting increased attention in all civilized countries of the world - both from users and from manufacturers. Why? The fact is that each, even the smallest battery, contains in its design a whole spectrum chemical elements, which are commonly called heavy metals. These include mercury, lead, cadmium, and some other minerals. When batteries are used for their intended purpose, they perform their physical and chemical function. But after a used battery ends up in a landfill and begins to decompose there along with other waste, heavy metals begin to poison the biosphere.

Why you shouldn't throw away batteries
Humanity, even modern stage development of technology, sometimes reminds small child or a teenager: having received an attractive toy, he uses it without thinking about the consequences (cleaning, breakdown, costs). AA batteries are really practical, but how many people think about what to do with them after they have been used? energetic resources are they running out? If you look closely, there is a drawing on the surface of the battery case and on each package. special sign, depicting a crossed out trash can. This means that a product marked with this symbol should never be thrown away with regular garbage; instead, it must be recycled. Now admit it, do you adhere to this requirement?..

Out of sight, out of mind: when we get rid of a used battery, we immediately forget about it and its composition. Meanwhile chemical processes do not depend on our thoughts and/or desires and continue naturally. In case of batteries caught in garbage dump, there are two main ways of environmental poisoning:

1. The battery casing decomposes and toxic substances enter the soil, then into The groundwater and reservoirs, rivers, seas. From these reservoirs water comes into our homes, we drink it, give it to children and use it for hygienic purposes. Fish and others Marine life accumulate poisons in their bodies, which we also eat. To put it simply, we voluntarily poison our body with heavy metals.
   
2. Batteries in landfills and incinerators burn along with the garbage, but the smoke from them not only smells bad, but contains so-called dioxins. These compounds, tens of times more toxic than cyanide, penetrate into the air, and then into water, soil, plants, animal meat and, consequently, into the human body.
   

Very small amounts of heavy metals and their compounds are enough to increase the incidence of cancer and congenital pathologies in humans. One battery poisons about 20 square meters land around you, but how much of it is thrown away around the world? The CIS countries are especially guilty of such careless relations. By scattering batteries and allowing them to decompose in the biosphere, their inhabitants doom themselves and the whole world to:

• nervous disorders, brain diseases;
  
• swollen;
  
• diseases of the kidneys and the genitourinary system;
  
• thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders;
  
• mutations in the respiratory system, hearing and vision impairment.
  

In addition, bone, cartilage and muscle tissue, and all organ systems without exception, are affected. Moreover, children are most susceptible to poisonous effects: they often get sick, develop slowly, and grow up weak. Although heavy metal salts accumulate in the liver, kidneys and tissues of people of all ages.

What to do with batteries
IN different countries throughout the world, mainly Western and Japan, close attention is paid to battery recycling. Used batteries are collected, sorted and disposed of at specialized enterprises (there are more than 40 of them in Europe alone). And for different types batteries (salt, alkaline, lithium, etc.) different processing technologies are used, and subsequently their raw materials are used in production. As for Russia and neighboring countries, such a practice is still in its infancy. Today, enthusiasts are creating battery collection points and promoting their proper disposal. To join this laudable initiative, you can follow these simple instructions:

1. Start by saying that the next time you remove a dead battery from the remote control or player, do not throw it in the trash, but wrap it in paper or a bag and set it aside separately so that you can later return it to the special item battery acceptance.
   
2. By your own example, you can contribute to the development useful habit Do not throw away batteries from your friends and/or neighbors. To do this, simply install a box in your own entrance into which they can put batteries. Place a small announcement nearby explaining what, why and why you expect from others.
   
3. box (or plastic bottle) to collect the batteries, place it so that direct contact does not fall on it. Sun rays and its contents were not heated by the radiator.
   
4. Hang it on the ground floor, in the hall or on front door announcement so that neighbors can know about your endeavor. Find in social internet networks communities of people doing the same thing and notify them about additional opportunity collecting batteries.
   
5. If your city has public battery containers, dispose of them there periodically. If not, wait until you have a few of them (or set a regular date, for example, once a month) and take them to a battery collection point. The addresses of such points in different cities are easy to find on the Internet.
   
6. Most likely, it will not be possible for each individual person to take every single or pair of batteries to a collection point, so become a volunteer at least on the scale of your apartment, entrance, house.
   

At the same time, do not forget that the box for collecting batteries is not the final point of their movement to recycling and you need to ensure their transportation to the collection point, and then to processing plant. There they are sorted, disassembled, and separated into fractions under the influence of a magnet. Iron and other metals are crushed and processed separately. All processes related to the disposal of power sources are very dangerous, therefore they are mechanized as much as possible, and workers in factories use masks and protective clothing. The metal salts extracted from the batteries are eventually packaged and sent to those factories that use them in their own production processes. There are few such enterprises and their operation is very expensive, but their importance cannot be overestimated. Don’t ignore the importance of recycling batteries and take part in preserving the environment and your own health as much as possible.

There are two global reasons for collecting and recycling used batteries - batteries and accumulators. Firstly, this is a socially significant hypostasis - to save the environment from negative impact human activity. Secondly, extract useful ingredients from waste, thereby reducing mining costs. The article will tell you why and how batteries are recycled.

Device battery composition

A small, safe-looking product, thrown away in an unauthorized place, can spoil drinking water, the volume of which fits in 80 five-liter bottles, or render 0.2 acres of land unusable. That is why batteries are disposed of separately from other household and industrial waste.

In addition to iron in the form of a steel shell with a mass fraction of 18.7%, the composition includes:

• manganese oxide - 1/3 of the mass;
• electrolytes with thickeners - 1/5 weight;
• zinc - 13.5%;
• graphite - 8%;
• paper and plastic - 4.5%.

Previously, structures containing lead, cadmium and mercury were produced. Now the release of such varieties is prohibited.

Effect on soil, air and water

The impact begins after the steel shell has oxidized. The iron rusts, the body loses its shape, and the ingredients end up in the environment. The natural content of heavy metals manganese, zinc and nickel in water and soil is recorded in sanitary standards and regulations. Scattered around natural objects Products that have exhausted their performance reserve increase the content of the listed metals to dangerous to health person level. It becomes clear why to recycle batteries.

Chemical elements are present in the product not in pure form, but as salts and alkaline compounds. The trouble is that these compounds are foreign natural environment. Therefore, environmentalists are trying to explain to citizens:

• what is the danger of thoughtlessly throwing away garbage;
• where to place out-of-service batteries;
• how batteries are disposed of.

Once on the surface of the earth, the components of the battery dissolve in precipitation, penetrate into underground aquifers or are carried into open reservoirs by storm drains after rain and snow melting. Drinking water loses consumer properties:

• It is dangerous for humans and animals to drink contaminated water;
• aquatic fauna loses its usual habitat, gets sick, dies and degenerates.

A decomposed nutrient has a negative effect on the soil. Statistics say that outside a human settlement, within 20 meters of a meadow or forest:

• three thousand earthworms, a couple of moles, a mouse, a hedgehog live;
• two tall trees or three shrubs grow.

Surface water carries salts and alkalis and degrades the habitat of flora and fauna.

Household waste dumps often catch fire. In waste incineration plants, fire is the main tool for processing waste. When batteries burn, dioxides are formed - harmful substances, affecting immunity and reproductive functions.

All three habitats of living beings - earth, water and air - can be irreversibly damaged if used batteries are disposed of carelessly.

Benefits of recycling

The economics of collecting and recycling end-of-life energy sources are interesting in terms of how quickly benefits can be achieved.

One person produces half a ton of household waste per year. The list of waste includes batteries. The average number of autonomous power supply elements per person in Russia is 7 pieces per year. Even babies are exploited - night lights, musical toys, a “baby woke up” notification. The total number of discarded electronic devices in the country reaches one billion copies per year.

Salt energy sources weigh 14-18 grams. Alkaline ones are heavier - 22-24 grams. Twenty thousand tons of raw materials for use in the national economy. It is important not only to remove harmful and unnecessary objects from your living space. Taking into account the composition, you should think about how to properly dispose of batteries, put waste to good use, and return it to clothing circulation.

Technologists confirm that the used part is in living conditions it is impossible to restore, and in production - expensive. But the components isolated during disassembly are used in different areas industry:

• graphite water lubricant and electrolytes - in the production of cast iron and pencils;
• manganese - in metallurgical shops and for the production of fertilizers;
• zinc - for galvanizing metal products;
• brass, zinc-copper alloy - production of kitchen utensils and musical instruments.

Hundreds of recycled Duracell AA batteries make 4 pencils; spoon, fork and knife; a kilogram of fertilizer and three containers for brewing coffee.

Recycling places

Collection and processing are two various types waste-based activities. Some organizations can accumulate garbage, others can collect what they have accumulated, and still others can recycle what they have collected. By making it a priority own health, people are ready to start collecting used products. But you should know exactly where to dispose of batteries. We must not allow cases where hazardous waste is collected and then quietly dumped in the nearest forest belt.

In Russia there is the only plant for processing autonomous power supplies of IAP. The Megapolisresurs enterprise is located in the capital Southern Urals, city of metallurgical industry, Chelyabinsk. This is an economically correct decision - to open the production of raw materials near the consumer.

The plant accepts batteries from all subjects of the Federation. Remote territories ship collected illiquid goods by railcars. Nearby entities bring cargo in boxes. It is unacceptable to send waste for recycling using the postal service. The fact is that failed autonomous power supplies have the third and fourth hazard classes. Transportation of such goods is permissible using properly equipped transport and in proper packaging. Therefore, sending waste by Russian Post is a gross violation of the law.

Interesting how batteries are disposed of:

1. The cargo is delivered to the plant in adapted containers.
2. The contents are dumped onto a conveyor. Manual processing begins. The sorter is capable of processing 60 kilograms of waste per shift. Care and attention are required on the site.
3. The sorted raw materials are crushed and separated using a magnet into iron and other parts.
4. Components are exposed chemical reaction, and here it is impossible to confuse the chemical elements being connected.

During processing, 4% of the mass remains unclaimed in industry.

Collection methods

During lessons in educational institutions, in newspapers and in social networks There have been ten years of explanations on the Internet about why batteries need to be recycled. Citizens are ready to stop throwing IAP in the trash. But they also don’t want to turn their own storage room or balcony into a garbage bin. Enterprises and institutions are also ready to accumulate used items and promptly hand them over to licensed collectors.

Transport services are expensive, it is necessary to unite to minimize costs. Active advertising of organizations specializing in the collection of batteries is required.

Let's take the Ural city of Miass as an example. Upon request, seven addresses appear, and most of the reception points are in the northern part of the city, Mashgorodok, a residential complex for rocket scientists. All points within walking distance:

• Lebedinsky City Library;
• mini-market "Zhukovsky";
• photo salon "Mfoto";
• anti-cafe "Granat";
• copy center "Amitra";
• house folk art;
• office management company"Zhilkom".

The organization “EcoMiass” is collecting the accumulated funds. The collected items are accepted by the company SUURSCU, which has a license to store and transport batteries. The center delivers the accepted waste to the Chelyabinsk Megapolisresurs.

Civil initiatives

People have realized why they need to recycle batteries: to protect their environment.

Businessmen have their own reason: to reduce the cost of raw materials for metallurgical and other industries.

The ways to protect the interests of the population and business coincide - collect hazardous waste and recycle.

Experience of foreign like-minded people

According to the plant, only 4% of used IAP is recycled in Russia. The information is sad - it turns out that the words of citizens are at odds with deeds, and waste, instead of recycling, litters the environment. Power Chelyabinsk plant Megapolisresurs are capable of processing many times more compared to current achievements.

It’s interesting how batteries are disposed of in other countries.

One hundred percent pass rate was not found in any country:

• Belgium - 55%
• Germany - 45%
• USA - 60%
• Australia - 80%.

Unlike Russia, in Europe four dozen factories are engaged in recycling.

The legislative framework

Operations with waste are regulated. A license is required for storage, transportation and processing. Therefore, when deciding where to dispose of batteries, you need to approach the problem carefully. First of all, make sure that the organization has the right to accept for storage and transport hazardous waste - used autonomous power sources.

The Chelyabinsk plant, having overcome bureaucratic barriers and received permits, deployed a network for collecting used batteries throughout Russian Federation.

Addresses in Russia

An inquisitive reader who has accumulated IAP wonders where to dispose of batteries.

To answer, you need to type the search string “hand over batteries.ru” and indicate the name of the city of interest. For major cities the probability of getting a positive answer is 100%. For rural areas It is possible to search for a district or regional center.

How more weight accumulated and handed over, the less the donor has to pay for disposal.

Every person has at least a dozen batteries in their home - they are in watches, flashlights, and children's toys. Lithium-ion batteries are located inside mobile phones, video cameras and laptops. As we know, the service life of any type of battery is limited (for lithium-ion it does not exceed 4-5 years), and it must be recycled.

Why recycle batteries

It is dangerous to use a battery beyond its service life, since due to internal changes it becomes susceptible to leakage, short circuit, etc. In addition, an expired battery does not hold a charge well.

Against the background of these reasons, a pressing question arises: how to get rid of the old battery?

The simplest thing is to throw it in the trash. Stop if you have already carried the unnecessary battery towards the trash bin!

Our country is still far from developed countries in terms of well-thought-out waste disposal policies. There are very few waste sorting centers and recycling plants in Russia. While a European throws paper into one bin and glass containers into another, a Russian will throw both types of waste into one bin, because we do not have different bins.

Why you shouldn't throw batteries in the trash

Thus, old batteries go from the trash can directly to a landfill, where they rust, burn and release a whole set of toxic substances, heavy metals (cadmium, manganese, nickel, mercury, lead, zinc). Water washes them out of the soil and carries them to groundwater, rivers, lakes, artesian wells, as well as to vegetable gardens and farms. This is how we end up with poisoned vegetables on store shelves. Regular consumption of such products will sooner or later have a detrimental effect on the body.

1 AA battery, thrown into the trash bin, pollutes about 20 m² of land and 400 liters of water!

But proper disposal can bring great benefits to the country and the environment. In 4 days they are sorted and processed, obtaining raw materials for reuse. They are mainly used in ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals and cosmetology, and the chemical industry.

Where to donate batteries

So what is the correct and safe way to dispose of batteries?

Previously, some activists and environmentalists stored all used batteries at home, waiting for the day when proper recycling would become available. And now, finally, such an opportunity has appeared, although for now only in large cities, where you can find points for collecting unnecessary batteries. As a rule, they are located on the streets, in large shopping centers and supermarkets. All you need to do is throw the batteries into the box, then the recycling service will take care of everything.

Don't expect to be paid for returning your batteries - the recycling process is quite expensive and the service will incur shipping costs. So, by throwing the battery in the box, and not in the trash, you will thereby show your selfless social consciousness.

From the boxes, the batteries will be sent to the only plant in Russia that processes them. It is located in Chelyabinsk and is called “Megapolisresurs”. With the help of electrolysis and other technologies, more than half a million batteries from all over the country are neutralized and recycled there every year!

So if you live in big city and you are not indifferent to environmental problems, find out about the availability of points for collecting old batteries and do not be lazy to use their services. To do this, the “Map of battery collection points” will help you.

Map of battery collection points in Russia

Battery recycling plant

Do you recycle batteries?

November 12, 2012 at 18:00

Proper disposal batteries

• Energy and batteries

Hello friends!

Each of us has probably used batteries in our lives. Remote controls, watches, toys, phones, a lot of other things - there is always something in the house that runs on batteries. And they tend to develop their resource. However, does everyone know what to do with used batteries? Throw it in the trash with the rest of your household trash? It is not right!

On the battery case there is almost always a symbol in the form of a crossed out trash container, indicating that it should not be thrown away with other household waste.

But what is so harmful or dangerous about batteries?

Although a battery can explode, leak and damage your equipment, or be swallowed by your child, it will do most of its harm if it is not disposed of properly.
In general, batteries are chemical devices whose elements react, producing electricity, which we use. These elements are mainly toxic and dangerous.

• lead (accumulates in the body, affecting the kidneys, nervous system, bone tissue)
• cadmium (harmful to lungs and kidneys)
• mercury (affects the brain and nervous system)
• nickel and zinc (may cause dermatitis)
• alkalis (burn mucous membranes and skin) and others

After being thrown away, the metal coating of the battery is destroyed by corrosion, and heavy metals end up in the soil and groundwater, from where it is not far to rivers, lakes and other bodies of water used for drinking water supply. Mercury is one of the most dangerous and toxic metals; it tends to accumulate in the tissues of living organisms and can enter the human body either directly from water or by eating products made from poisoned plants or animals.
What if the battery gets burned out? incineration plant, then all the toxic materials it contains will be released into the atmosphere.

According to statistics, a Moscow family annually throws away up to 500 grams of used batteries. In total, 2-3 thousand tons of batteries are being collected in the capital. In the United States, Americans buy nearly three billion different batteries every year, and about 180,000 tons of these batteries end up in landfills across the country.

It's hard to imagine the damage being done environment on a global scale.

What to do with used batteries?

It is not recommended to store at home, as release occurs hazardous substances to the air. According to the rules, they must be disposed of at special enterprises. Although the pleasure is not cheap, developed countries The process of collecting used batteries from the population and subsequent proper disposal is well established. So, in many European Union countries, Canada and the USA, battery collection points are everywhere. In New York, for example, it is illegal to throw batteries in the trash. And the producers and large stores Those who sell batteries are required to ensure that used batteries are collected, otherwise a fine of up to $5,000 may follow.
In Japan, they say, batteries are collected and stored until an optimal recycling technology is invented.

What do we have?

Here everything is quite sad: if you are determined not to harm nature, then you will have to carefully search for a collection point even in the capital - let alone other cities. There are only three factories in Europe that have battery recycling capacity, and one of them is located in Ukraine - the Lviv state-owned enterprise Argentum. However, due to bad organization collection of batteries from the population, the plant cannot function - the enterprise is designed to process a ton of batteries per day, but in six months it was not possible to collect even half a ton.

In the absence of government control, collection points still exist - they are often organized by volunteers (for which they thanks a lot), but are gradually catching up various organizations and retail chains.

For the query “battery recycling,” Google returns a fairly large number of mentions. I decided to systematize the information and plan to update the list periodically.

In order not to overload the article, I posted it on GoogleDocs - “List of collection points for used batteries”(information on Ukraine, Russia and Belarus).

If you have been wondering “where to take old batteries,” I hope this list will help you. Because it's not just batteries that contain hazardous materials, some locations may accept your old one. household appliances, computers, fluorescent lamps, etc.

P.S.: It is believed that one AA battery pollutes about 20 sq.m. with heavy metals. soil. In the forest zone, this is the habitat of two trees, two moles, one hedgehog and several thousand earthworms.

Be responsible, habrauser. Don't thoughtlessly throw away your battery - save the hedgehog!