Battery Waste: What Is It And How Can We Fix It?
Electrical appliances or automobiles, power backup or hearing aids, batteries are the primary sources of power for most things we use today. This quite explains why India generates over 50,000 tonnes of battery waste every year. Do you know how many of these batteries end up in landfills? Almost 95%! Surprising but true, only 5% of the spent batteries are appropriately recycled. Little do we realize that batteries are hazardous waste. The lithium deposits and the toxic components in batteries like arsenic, lead, nickel, and dimethoxyethane pose severe environmental risks. Besides, did you know that India is greatly dependent on imports for its energy transition? This is certainly an economic setback. Also, did you know that India is expected to stand out as the third-largest market for energy storage by 2040? Thus, implementing foundational battery rules is important to manage the overwhelming ratios of battery waste. Mishandling the spent batteries is threatening to the e...