In Collaboration with Pure Earth, the International Lead Association and Responsible Battery Coalition Consequences in partnership with the of a Mobile Future: World Economic Forum Creating an Environmentally Conscious Life Cycle for Lead-Acid Batteries WHITE PAPER DECEMBER 2020 Cover: Getty Images Contents 3 Foreword 4 Executive summary 7 1 Closed loop recycling: Benefits and known challenges 10 2 Health and economic impacts from informal and unsound ULAB recycling 12 3 Mitigating negative impacts from informal lead-acid battery recycling 16 4 Policies and tools to increase formal recycling rates and reduce risks 21 5 Technical guidelines to improve formal ULAB recycling 25 6 Conclusion and future trends 26 Contributors 27 Endnotes © 2020 World Economic Forum. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system. Consequences of a Mobile Future 2 Foreword This paper offers recommendations for policy- makers and describes best practices for the safe management of lead battery recycling. Mathy Stanislaus Jonathan Eckart Director ad interim, Project Lead, Global Battery Global Battery Alliance Alliance; Global Leadership Fellow, World Economic Forum The need for urgent and more intensive action LABs are valued for their affordability and high against climate change is broadly recognized. In its recycling rate. Nearly all materials used to build September 2019 report, the Global Battery Alliance LABs can be recycled to create new batteries of (GBA) sets forth a profound goal, expressed in the equal value. With growing concerns over resource publication’s title: A Vision for a Sustainable Battery extraction and waste, LABs present one of the Value Chain in 2030: Unlocking the Full Potential best potential examples of a closed-loop circular to Power Sustainable Development and Climate economy. However, technical and regulatory Change Mitigation. In it, the GBA states that a challenges to recycling LABs in low- and middle- circular, responsible and just battery value chain income countries exist, resulting in unsafe recycling is one of the major near-term drivers to realize practices. In these countries, used lead-acid the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the global batteries (ULABs) are often recycled in facilities temperature increase to below 2°C in the transport without adequate pollution and workplace controls, and power sectors. This lays out a course towards or in the informal economy, where pollution controls achieving the 1.5°C goal if complemented with are non-existent and severe pollution is common. other technologies and collaborative efforts. This paper provides a series of recommendations As stated in the report, “[A] vision of the battery for policy-makers and describes best practices value chain is incomplete without providing a for the safe management of lead battery perspective of the other large battery market recycling. It highlights the economic and health segment: lead-acid batteries (LAB). In 2018, benefits of fostering the adoption of these approximately 72% of the world rechargeable practices globally. The challenges presented battery capacity (in GWh) was provided by LABs.”1 by the improper recycling of ULABs can only be addressed through collaborative efforts This White Paper, a follow up to that report, between governments, the private sector and civil addresses the safe and environmentally responsible society. This paper aims to contribute to work management of LAB recycling. Unfortunately, the undertaken in the context of the Basel Convention mismanagement of LAB recycling around the world on the Control of Transboundary Movements has dire consequences, despite evidence in North of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (the America and Europe that the risks can be managed Basel Convention). One specific opportunity is to by adopting effective control measures that limit inform whether the 2003 “Technical Guidelines lead exposures. A July 2020 report by the non-profit for the Environmentally Sound Management of organizations Pure Earth and UNICEF, titled The Waste Lead-acid Batteries” should be updated. Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential, This Global Battery Alliance White Paper was reveals that lead poisoning is affecting children written in collaboration with Pure Earth, the on a massive and previously unknown scale. Responsible Battery Coalition and the International Approximately one in three children – up to 800 Lead Association. It builds on the global leadership million globally – have blood lead levels at or above of the Basel Convention Secretariat and United 5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL), a level the report Nations Environment Programme, which have says requires an urgent international response.2 championed the need to introduce global standards in LAB recycling for many years. Consequences of a Mobile Future 3 Executive summary Used lead-acid batteries need to be managed and recycled in a manner that prevents lead pollution, protecting workers and public health. Modern economies depend on the ability to exposure of workers and the public, particularly transfer and store energy. The demand for batteries children, to lead. Lead is a well-studied for both mobile storable energy and connectivity neurotoxicant. The World Health Organization states continues to grow. that no concentration of lead in children’s blood is safe, noting that, “It is now quite clear that there are In 2018, As noted in the Global Battery Alliance (GBA) adverse neurodevelopmental effects at the lowest approximately report A Vision for a Sustainable Battery Value blood lead concentrations yet studied. ...There 72% of the world Chain in 2030: “[A] vision of the battery value chain appears to be no threshold level below which lead rechargeable is incomplete without providing a perspective of causes no injury to the developing human brain.”4 battery capacity the other large battery market segment: lead-acid Children exposed to lead face permanent adverse (in GWh) was batteries (LAB). In 2018, approximately 72% of the health effects, including impaired brain development world rechargeable battery capacity (in GWh) was and nervous system damage that can be observed provided by LABs. provided by LABs. … LABs will be employed in as measured decrements in IQ. … LABs will be cars, including [electric vehicles], for many years employed in cars, and the global market for them is expected to The July 2020 report by the non-profit organizations including [electric further grow … LABs are, therefore, an integral part Pure Earth and UNICEF, The Toxic Truth: Children’s vehicles], for many of the global battery market and will continue to be Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation years and the so for a long time.”3 of Future Potential, reveals that lead poisoning is global market for affecting children on a massive and previously them is expected Approximately 65% of the global demand for unknown scale. Approximately one in three children to further grow. lead-acid batteries (LABs) is currently driven by – up to 800 million globally – have blood lead levels automotive applications, with nearly every vehicle on at or above 5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL), a the road requiring a LAB for starter, light and ignition level the report says requires urgent action.5 functions. The remainder of uses are as industrial batteries, with lead-based batteries popular for Lead comprises approximately 60% of a LAB’s off-grid energy renewable storage. They are used weight. ULABs need to be managed and recycled especially in developing countries as a key enabling in a manner that prevents lead pollution, protecting technology to deliver on Sustainable Development workers and public health. They must be recycled Goal 7: affordable and clean energy for all. in well-regulated facilities with prescribed design and safety equipment, worker health and safety LABs are valued because they are affordable procedures, and pollution controls. These and highly recyclable. Nearly all materials used to requirements preclude the involvement of the construct LABs can be recycled to create new informal sector in many activities such as metal batteries of equal value. When the lead is contained smelting. However, efforts to simply shut down within a manufactured battery, it presents no risk informal recyclers can be counterproductive, as of exposure to the user. And properly managed these operations can easily move and reopen, recycling and manufacturing facilities present creating additional contamination hotspots. little risk of exposure to workers, bystanders or the environment. When considering the growing Even formal recycling operations can pose concerns over resource extraction and waste, LABs significant health risks to employees and local are a potential example of a closed-loop economy. communities if safety and environmental protection standards are not adequate. The development However, technical and regulatory challenges to of a safe, profitable and efficient ULAB recycling recycling LABs in low- and middle-income countries economy requires a coordinated approach to exist. In these countries, used lead-acid batteries ensure that appropriate regulations, enforcement (ULABs) are often recycled in facilities without activities, technical assistance, market and tax adequate pollution and workplace controls, or in the incentives, as well as
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