The LAB industry is already far ahead of all other battery technologies in recycling rates. However, the dominant technology smelting is at or near the end of its development potential, struggling to meet emissions standards and challenged by cost, efficiency and siting issues. There is an urgent need for an alternative.
By Dr. Stephen R. Clarke
Today, more than 95 percent of the world’s rechargeable batteries are lead acid batteries (LABs). LABs are used in a variety of applications, including: automotive, powersports, energy storage and backup power for hospitals and data centers. A common challenge when it comes to all battery types—whether lead acid, lithium-ion or others—is what to do with them at the end of their life and how to minimize exposure to their toxic contents.
Room for Improvement
LABs are unique in that they are nearly 100 percent recycled, and in the U.S. almost 80 percent of the lead in new LABs is recovered lead. Consequently, LAB recycling is an integral part of the battery supply chain. This delivers multiple economic and environmental benefits, including keeping waste out of landfills and the environment and significantly reducing the need to mine and process new raw materials. Other batteries, such as lithium-ion, lag far behind LABs when it comes to recycling and safe disposal of their toxic contents.
However, there is still room for improvement. Lead smelting—a high temperature, dust and gas generating process—has arguably reached the end of its developmental life. Especially as governments continue to impose ever-tighter emissions standards, the business of lead recycling needs a refresh. Smelting operates at temperatures in excess of 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, which in turn produces significant greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, smelting requires chemical processing agents, such as limestone, fluxes, coke, soda ash and sometimes even arsenic to be added to the mix, resulting in further polluting dusts, emissions and solid waste contaminated with toxic heavy metals.
Tightening regulations around emissions are forcing older and non-compliant smelters to close in the U.S. In developing nations, regulations are often lax and environmental controls are typically absent, resulting in significant human health impacts and environmental pollution.
Overall, it is clear that there is room for improvement in LAB recycling. As the world now uses approximately 11 million tons of lead annually1, a cleaner and more cost-efficient recovery and recycling method is needed.
A Different Approach
What is needed to truly revolutionize the industry is a completely different approach—one that is fundamentally non-polluting and cost effective. One innovative solution that has been proven to be both environmentally friendly and cost effective is AquaRefining, a closed-loop, electrochemical process.
AquaRefining is an automated, room temperature, closed-loop process that uses liquids and electricity to replace the fire and chemical powders used in smelting. It emits no slag, no toxic waste and almost no greenhouse gases, while yielding nearly 100 percent lead recovery. Importantly, it is a wet process, which reduces or even eliminates lead dust and fugitive emissions. Facilities that use this technology are capable of processing the same volumes of lead that smelters can. However, AquaRefining can be implemented flexibly, cost-effectively and in smaller facilities, which are able to meet even the strictest of environmental regulations. This allows AquaRefining operations to share locations with LAB collection points as well as with battery manufacturers. This operating model has tremendous potential to streamline the supply chain and improve process economics, while also producing high quality lead.
Taking a Stance
The LAB industry is far ahead of all other battery technologies in recycling rates. By taking this opportunity to become further revolutionized and revitalized, the industry is taking a strong stance for the battery industry as a whole. Solving the emissions, permitting and logistics challenges associated with smelting create a unique and powerful opportunity for LAB manufacturers, distributors and recyclers to work together to promote the use of the only closed-loop and environmentally-responsible battery recycling technology.
As we move towards a higher-powered battery-dependent society, it becomes increasingly critical to determine what to do with spent batteries. Our reliance on batteries is only set to grow in the future. LABs continue to blaze the trail in closed loop sustainability. It’s time that other battery technologies were held to the same standard and manufacturers begin thinking responsibly about how to ensure that their materials are recovered and reused at the same level. | WA
Dr. Stephen R. Clarke is the chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Aqua Metals (Alameda, CA), a company that has developed an innovative, non-polluting lead recycling process. Dr. Clarke has spent the last two decades developing, commercializing and monetizing disruptive technologies focused on advanced batteries and advanced materials. He can be reached at [email protected].
Note
- Source: CHR Metals.