Recycling lead for car batteries

[Donald]

There is an article in the NYT talking about a company in Nigeria that recycles lead from car batteries. The lead dust is in the air, the soil and in houses. People get sick. The reporter came back from his visit with headaches.

Another company in Nigeria borrowed millions to recycle lead properly and were constantly outbid and went out of business.

The buyer for the one polluting factory was East Penn.

But this was not an isolated company in Nigeria.

I'd pay a few dollars more for a car battery to have the lead recycled properly. I don't want people in other countries getting sick so I can get a battery a few dollars cheaper.

 

[thastinger]

Have you seen the youtube vids of the OSHA sandal brigade?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Your one of a tiny number of people around the globe that would pay more, hence the reason the proper factory went under.

People think that manufacturing left the US because they have been told that people elsewhere will work cheaper and harder. While that may also be true - manufacturing left the US because they don't have to follow safety or enviro regulations . Since just about everything in a factory can be automated now (its repetitive tasks) the labor cost argument doesn't even float anymore.

Companies don't want to follow safety or enviro regs or pay taxes.

 

[mrsilv04]

Lessons learned about lead in Herculaneum, Missouri.

https://www.stlpr.org/show/st-louis...nvironmental-cleanup-offers-lessons-for-today

 

[jghall00]

Your one of a tiny number of people around the globe that would pay more, hence the reason the proper factory went under.

People think that manufacturing left the US because they have been told that people elsewhere will work cheaper and harder. While that may also be true - manufacturing left the US because they don't have to follow safety or enviro regulations . Since just about everything in a factory can be automated now (its repetitive tasks) the labor cost argument doesn't even float anymore.

Companies don't want to follow safety or enviro regs or pay taxes.

I don't think that's true. According to the article a small amount of the material used for batteries comes from these regions. This suggests that the cost would not be exorbitant. I think it's just a lack of awareness on the part of the consumer. I read the article yesterday and was shocked because I thought the materials were all recycled domestically. I would happily pay more for battery that used ethically sourced lead.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I don't think that's true. According to the article a small amount of the material used for batteries comes from these regions. This suggests that the cost would not be exorbitant. I think it's just a lack of awareness on the part of the consumer. I read the article yesterday and was shocked because I thought the materials were all recycled domestically. I would happily pay more for battery that used ethically sourced lead.

You may actually be correct for the majority of the population in the USA. Realize our entire country is 4% of global population.

People in India / China / Malaysia etc don't care. These things get consolidated on a global scale.

Possibly East Penn is happy to suppress this fact as well to prop up their checkbook. I know many manufacturers that did - even internally, when moving in the late 90's / early 2000's. Even in USA not everyone thinks like you do.

 

[jghall00]

People in India / China / Malaysia etc don't care. These things get consolidated on a global scale.

That's a good point, but I try not to concern myself with things I have no control over. For my part, I would prefer the lead be sourced appropriately regardless of what consumers in other countries do. Sodium may supplant lead soon anyway.

 

[Donald]

There is an article in the NYT talking about a company in Nigeria that recycles lead from car batteries. The lead dust is in the air, the soil and in houses. People get sick. The reporter came back from his visit with headaches.

Another company in Nigeria borrowed millions to recycle lead properly and were constantly outbid and went out of business.

The buyer for the one polluting factory was East Penn.

But this was not an isolated company in Nigeria.

I'd pay a few dollars more for a car battery to have the lead recycled properly. I don't want people in other countries getting sick so I can get a battery a few dollars cheaper.

 

[Donald]

This is just another example of exporting work that is toxic or dangerous to other countries. I think scrapping of many ships is done in India. The ships are beached and cut apart with gas cutting torches. I think there are a lot of injuries and deaths in the process.

 

[repairman54]

How many people here are drinking water in old buildings from old copper pipes soldiered with Lead prior to 1974 ?

 

[jghall00]

How many people here are drinking water in old buildings from old copper pipes soldiered with Lead prior to 1974 ?

I'm too smart for that. I buy my water ensconced in plastics made with oils sourced from the oldest deposits. The bottles are so pure they're transparent and UV rays can penetrate to further purify the water, which is extracted from ancient aquifers near cities I haven't heard of.

 

[Snagglefoot]

There is something about lead I don’t like but I can’t remember what it is.

 

[Boomer]

AMEN!!!

 

[thastinger]

How many people here are drinking water in old buildings from old copper pipes soldiered with Lead prior to 1974 ?

Me, for 56 years now. Present house was built in 1895-1896, I'm not sure when it got indoor plumbing added but every inch of it is copper. I've replaced probably half of it over the years via various remodels. I have had the water tested, was pretty expensive I thought at the time, and it is fine to drink right out of the faucet. We are on city water which has a very good base source. I'm guessing some of the copper pipes I removed were over 50 years old and there was zero loss of metal/corrosion.

 

[zzyzzx]

I don't want people in other countries getting sick so I can get a battery a few dollars cheaper.

That's not up to you or me though.

 

[zzyzzx]

How many people here are drinking water in old buildings from old copper pipes soldiered with Lead prior to 1974 ?

I'm sure I'm one of them, and I'm completely not worried about it. It would have to be pretty tiny amount of water that could potentially be exposed to lead. It's note like I have lead pipe, only small solder joints that really make a a tiny % of the whole water supply to begin with. And I filter drinking water.

 

[Donald]

How many people here are drinking water in old buildings from old copper pipes soldiered with Lead prior to 1974 ?

Not saying I want to drink water from copper pipe sweated using lead solder.

But....

The problem (Flint Michigan?) was a combination of old lead pipes and a change in water source that somehow removed a built-up coating (from many years) and then the water was actually flowing and touching the lead pipes. As opposed to having this coating that kind of insulated the water from the lead pipes. All in an effort to save a few bucks. I think that's the basic story (from memory).

 

[97prizm]

There is an article in the NYT talking about a company in Nigeria that recycles lead from car batteries. The lead dust is in the air, the soil and in houses. People get sick. The reporter came back from his visit with headaches.

Another company in Nigeria borrowed millions to recycle lead properly and were constantly outbid and went out of business.

The buyer for the one polluting factory was East Penn.

But this was not an isolated company in Nigeria.

I'd pay a few dollars more for a car battery to have the lead recycled properly. I don't want people in other countries getting sick so I can get a battery a few dollars cheaper.

The problem is that people in third world countries are happy to have these jobs. Third world countries also don't have the resources for recycling, and many other industries.

 

[AZjeff]

@Donald ,there are countless videos on YouTube showing people in 3rd world countries making many different things using extremely dangerous machines and procedures. Terrifying to watch. No idea if the products shown reach the US but how would you know what products have a socially responsible supply chain?

Buy everything you can used so you can feel good knowing your purchase didn't possibly maybe directly affect someone's health somewhere in the world. That's on who bought it new.

 

[Pablo]

@Donald ,there are countless videos on YouTube showing people in 3rd world countries making many different things using extremely dangerous machines and procedures. Industrial revolution Era. No idea if the products shown reach the US but how would you know what products have a socially responsible supply chain?

Buy everything you can used so you can feel good knowing your purchase didn't possibly maybe directly affect someone's health somewhere in the world.

The 3-4-5 year old children "recycling" plastic is about one of the most heart breaking videos I have watched. Most of that plastic did NOT come from the USA.