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International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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atteries placed on the market fell by 64%. 551 This trend is likely to be followed<br />

internationally due to the size <strong>of</strong> the European market relative to the global market.<br />

In addition to the obvious benefit in reduction <strong>of</strong> cadmium use as a hazardous<br />

material (see Section 25.2.1), research suggests that the replacement <strong>of</strong> NiCd<br />

batteries by Nickel-Metal Hydride and Lithium batteries would result in decreased<br />

negative environmental impacts. In the case <strong>of</strong> complete replacement <strong>of</strong> NiCd<br />

batteries by these alternative chemistries, the lithosphere extraction indicator (LEI 552 )<br />

would decrease by 31%. 553<br />

In addition to the recoverable metals shown in Table 25-2, a range <strong>of</strong> substances<br />

such as various acids, salts and plastics can be captured by the recovery process and<br />

prevented from entering the waste stream.<br />

As would be expected the use <strong>of</strong> these secondary metals in battery production in<br />

place <strong>of</strong> virgin metals has environmental benefits as a result <strong>of</strong> reduced energy use<br />

and pollution related to the mining <strong>of</strong> virgin natural resources. For example, using<br />

recycled cadmium and nickel requires 46% and 75% less primary energy respectively,<br />

compared with the mining and refining <strong>of</strong> virgin sources. 554 These figures are<br />

particularly important in the context <strong>of</strong> primary metal production accounting for<br />

approximately 10% <strong>of</strong> global C02 emissions.<br />

Table 25-2: Annual Tonnages <strong>of</strong> Metals Recoverable in the EU<br />

468<br />

29/09/09<br />

Metal Metal<br />

Recoverable Recoverable Quantity Quantity (tonnes/year)<br />

(tonnes/year)<br />

Manganese 20,000<br />

Zinc 20,000<br />

Iron 15,000<br />

Lead 7,500<br />

Nickel 2,000<br />

Cadmium 1,500<br />

Mercury 28<br />

Source: EC (2003), Directive <strong>of</strong> the European Parliament and <strong>of</strong> the Council on Batteries and<br />

Accumulators and Spent Batteries and Accumulators – Extended Impact Assessment, Commission<br />

Staff Working Paper, November 2003.<br />

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/batteries/pdf/exten_impact_assessment.pdf<br />

551 Erfolgskontrolle GRS 2007.<br />

552 Ratio <strong>of</strong> anthropogenic to natural metal flows and the significance <strong>of</strong> battery production related to<br />

global metal mining.<br />

553 C.J. Rydh, B. Svärd (2002) Impact on global metal flows arising from the use <strong>of</strong> portable<br />

rechargeable batteries, The Science <strong>of</strong> the Total Environment, Vol. 302, No. 1-3.<br />

554 C.J. Rydh, M. Karlström (2002) Life Cyle Inventory <strong>of</strong> Recycling Portable Nickel-Cadmium Batteries,<br />

Resources, Conservation and Recycling.

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