Azernews.Az

By Aynur Karimova

Today in our fast paced world where mobility and convenience are the main requirements, batteries play a very important role. When you need a portable, convenient power source, you can rely on batteries of all shapes and sizes. They supply power to everyday electronics such as remote controls, toys, clocks and so on.

Also, during a power outage, phone lines still operate thanks to lead-acid batteries. They also help control power fluctuations, run commuter trains, and provide back-up power for critical needs like hospitals and military operations.

However, batteries have a lot of disadvantages as well. The chemical composition of batteries contributes to high level of toxicity in the environment. Chemicals like cadmium are harmful to humans, as well as other animal and plant life. In the landfills, heavy metals that leak from dead batteries can mix with ground soil and cause irreversible damages to the ecosystem, thereby affecting plant and animal life. At the incinerators, the burnt batteries release toxic gas containing heavy metals.

One way to reduce the harm caused by batteries is recycling and battery waste management. It is extremely important to ensure that most of used batteries, if not all, get absorbed back into the manufacturing cycle.

Azerbaijan, which is a leader among the South Caucasus countries in terms of economic development, also needs to establish enterprises engaged in the recycling of batteries.

Expert Ogtay Hagverdiyev told local media that the ministry of economy and industry would propose such an initiative.

"If to speak about the economic benefits of recycling batteries, one can say that our country spends millions of dollars on the purchase of various kinds of batteries from abroad. In terms of import substitutions, the development of such a sector is very profitable. We already have the domestic market, and it would be possible to orient toward Central Asian markets. In short, it is an economically profitable business and it will pay for itself," he noted.

Establishment of such factories, plants and enterprises are very vital for the country not only from an economic standpoint, but also from an environmental point of view.

Head of Azerbaijan Green Movement, Farida Huseynova said there are neither companies engaged in recycling of batteries, nor battery collection points in Azerbaijan. Citizens throw their batteries away with general garbage, as they don't know where they can deliver this toxic waste.

"If there were a company, or battery collection points then people would be encouraged to deliver at least certain amount of old batteries to these points, and in return receive some new ones," she told local media.

The ecologist explained that batteries are classified as toxic waste as they contain acidic substances that are harmful to the environment; they poison the soil, water, living organisms and the environment in general. These substances are quite "aggressive"; they eat away everything on their path, so they cannot be stored for a long period of time. So it is recommended to withdraw batteries from any device in an inoperative condition, to collect, recycle and contain them in special landfills.

Azerbaijan has recently started the creation of landfills for toxic waste. Tamiz Shahar, a state joint stock company subordinated to the country's Economy and Industry Ministry, removes all the garbage on one landfill, and then sort it.

"But since everything is together, acidic waste may be mixed with other waste. Therefore, there is a need for the initial sorting of toxic waste into a separate pile," Huseynova said.

Recycling of batteries in EU countries is obligatory. Since 2008 all batteries, accumulators and their packages should be marked with a symbol (a crossed wheelie bin) - on the battery itself, or on the package, depending on their size.

This special symbol of collection informs the consumers that batteries shouldn't be disposed together with household waste. Instead, batteries should be delivered to special recycling point. Usually all major retailers have battery collection boxes.

In Germany, over half of all sold batteries are recycled. Battery recycling is a process of restoration and exploitation of materials which the batteries are made of. During this process, metals are removed from recycled batteries, and then included again in new products.

The main aim of this process is to save energy and raw materials as well as preserve the environment for healthy human life.

"This is the correct and most effective approach. It is necessary for Azerbaijan to take this experience into account," the ecologist recommended.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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