Green Recycling of Used Lead Acid Batteries – An Imperative Need

ByDr. R. S. Mahwar, Environmental Adviser, ILZDA

Former Additional Director, Central Pollution Control Board (Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change), Govt. of India

International Conference & Exhibition on Lead Batteries

14 & 15 November 2016, New Delhi

Green Recycling of Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB)

Beyond Compliance to the Guidelines/Standard Operating Procedures for the Environmentally Sound Management/Recycling of ULAB.

What does Beyond Compliance mean in ULAB recycling ?

• Minimum Consumption of Resources

• Minimum Generation of Wastes/Residues

• Minimum Emissions of Lead

• Minimum Emissions of Global Warming or Green House Gases

• No or Minimum Adverse Impact on Health & Environment

Guidelines/Standard Operating Procedures for the Environmentally Sound Management/Recycling of ULAB

International Guidelines• Basel – Technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management

of waste lead-acid batteries (2003) • UNEP – Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Used Lead

Batteries in the Mediterranean (2016)• Commission for Environmental Cooperation-US, Mexico & Canada - Environmentally Sound Management of Spent Lead-Acid Batteries in

North America: Technical Guidelines (2016) Govt. of India Guidelines • Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of India

(MoEFCC) - Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) - Recycling of Lead scrap/used lead acid batteries. <http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/SOP-Lead_1.pdf>

Environmentally Sound Recycling* of ULAB in India

Registration of ULAB Industries• As per Rule 6 of the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and

Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016 for procurement of the Lead Scarp/ULAB

Registration Application Requirements • Consent to Establish under the Water and Air Acts• Undertaking that the ESR Facilities have been set up• Certificate of Registration from the District Industry Centre• Proof of installed capacity• Membership - Common Facility for Treatment and Disposal of Hazardous

Wastes (TSDF)• Details of the Process Flow Diagram (PFD), Air Pollution Control System

(APCS) and Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP)• Details of onsite facilities for storage of the process residues and other

wastes (* SOP- MoEFCC)

Environmentally Sound Recycling of ULAB in India

Minimum Facilities/Compliance Requirements

Smelting Furnace• Box Furnace with Air Pollution Control System • Rotary Furnace with Air Pollution Control System

Air Pollution Control System (APCS)• Cooling System• Cyclones• Bag Filter with Shaker Arrangement• Alkali Scrubber• ID Fan • Stack (height minimum 30 metres) with port hole and platform for

emission monitoring and access ladder.

Environmentally Sound Recycling of ULAB in India

Minimum Facilities/Compliance Requirements (Contd.)

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) for the treatment of the scrubber water, plastic case washings, acid neutralization etc.

Separate and secured covered space (impervious flooring) for process residue storage.

Battery Breaking Area to be connected to APCS & ETP.

More than 5000 MTPA capacity plants to have mechanical/automatic battery breaking units with noise control measures and fume extraction system connected to APCS and arrangements for waste water treatment into ETP.

Environmentally Sound Recycling of ULAB in India

Minimum Facilities/Compliance Requirements (Contd.)

Standards for Lead • Lead in work area (8-hr avg.) : 0.05 mg/m3

• Lead in emission through stack : 10.0 mg/Nm3

• Lead in effluents : 0.10 mg/l• Lead in factory premises near boundary wall (24-hr avg.) : 1.0 µg/m3

Workers Medical Examination and Blood Lead Levels• Medical examination at least once a year for lead levels in blood and

urine. • Acceptable level in Blood : 10 µg/dl• Workers having lead in blood greater than 42 µg/dl to be shifted to non-

lead activity areas and given special medical treatment till the lead levels come back to acceptable level.

Beyond Compliance Measures in ULAB Recycling Industry Optimization of the Furnace Operation Parameters as per the feed material

characteristics.

Minimization of Heat Loss• Raw Material Charging• Molten lead tapping

Proper Operation and Maintenance of the APCS• Helps maintaining efficient fume extraction• Helps maintaining negative pressure at the charging points

Industry Compatibility with the Predominant Wind Direction• Industry location down stream the settlements/sensitive areas• Natural air flow through APCS area• Natural air flow thorough sheds housing melting furnaces/refining pots

Beyond Compliance Measures in ULAB Recycling Industry

Decontamination Station (DCS)• DCS not found in any of the industries (20+) visited• Absence of DCS - Major cause of lead carry over with shoes, clothes even to the homes and public places involving movement of workers/staff

after duty.

Plastic Recovery• Covered storage of plastic items • Adequate Washings of plastic cases for eliminating lead contamination.• Sale of washed plastics to Authorised Recyclers/Users.

Beyond Compliance Measures in ULAB Recycling Industry Storm Water Management • Storm water is the major source of lead carry over with run off and

subsequent contamination of soil, surface water and ground water in ULAB Industry. Storm/rain water not to be allowed to come in contact with any of the process/waste materials.

Spent Sulphuric Acid Supply• Supply to Battery Making/other User Industries/CETP• Sulphuric Acid Neutralization with hydrated lime and use of the Sludge

(Gypsum) in Cement industries.• Sulphuric Acid Neutralization with Caustic Soda and recovery and use of

Sodium sulphate as fertiliser.

Selection of the Automatic Battery Breaker (ABB) • ABB is an Energy Intensive System• Continued availability of ULABs for its Sustainable Use• Requirement of Caustic Soda Solution for Acid Neutralization/pH Control• Lead Contamination removal an issue in Sodium Sulphate’s use as

Fertiliser.• Permissible limits for discharge of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

Beyond Compliance Measures in ULAB Recycling Industry

Imports/Exports• Only if unavoidable • Preferably only Lead Plates

Installation of Photovoltaic Systemon the Roof for Power Generation

A large plant (Bin Nawi Group) of 1,00,000 tonnes/year ULAB recycling capacity is being set up in Abu Dhabi (Commissioning expected in 2018)*

• The plant will have a 14,000 square meters photovoltaic system on its roof and the power generated will meet majority of the plant’s energy need

(* Source: < http://www.gauff.net/en/news/articles/article/gauff-power-plant-batterie-recycling-fabrik-in-abu-dhabi.html>)

Key Aspects for Green Recycling of ULAB

Installation of Photovoltaic Systems for Solar Power Generation, on the

roofs/sheds

Receiving Raw Materials (Vehicle Movement, Unloading etc)

Separation (Battery Breaking, Components Separation etc)

Containment (Covered & Secured Storage of Lead Bearing Materials)

Purification (Discharges/Emissions/Plastics (Lead Carry Over, pH & TDS)

Smelting & Refining (Heat Loss/Fugitive Emissions)

Decontamination Station*

Storm Water Management*

(*Needs Urgent Attention in India)

Concluding Remarks

Lead Acid Batteries to play a major role in the storage of Electrical Energy.

Lead Acid Batteries demand will increase with increase in the production of power from renewable sources.

Used Lead Acid Batteries recycling is part of the life cycle of the Lead Acid Batteries.

Green Recycling of Used Lead Acid Batteries is and shall be an imperative need.

Thank You