- A transportation schedule should be composed and the route picked to
avoid environmentally sensitive areas (ie creeks, wetlands) and
populated areas (ie. heavily urbanized areas).
The lead can be taken out from the battery casing before shipment and
packed into containers. Although considerable care is needed in
performing this operation (see below).
If there are any batteries that are leaking, these should be placed inside a
containment box that is not reactive with acid, to prevent leakage.
Battery Separation
There are two hazardous components in lead-acid batteries, which need to be
treated quite separately, the electrolytic solution and battery casing. The
electrolytic solution is dilute sulphuric acid, which is a liquid and can leak from
damaged batteries.
The battery casing contains lead that is connected to the casing and can be
recovered by suitable professionals. The Technical Working Group of the
Basel Convention adopted, in May 2002, the "Technical Guidelines for the
Environmentally Sound Management of Waste Lead-Acid Batteries". The
guidelines recommend that batteries should not be drained at collection points
because the drainage of the sulfuric acid electrolyte may pose several threats
to the human health and to the environment as: (a) it contains high lead
levels, as soluble ions and particulate forms; (b) its acidity is very high and
may cause burns and damage if accidentally spilled; (c) it requires special
acid-resistant containers for storage; (d) its drainage requires workers to be
protected in order to minimise any risk of injury, etc. Thus, battery drainage
may be considered a potentially hazardous activity that demands, not only
special tools, containers and safety equipment, but also trained personnel.
If separation of the contents is to be conducted, this should only be attempted
by professional personnel, and undertaken in a safe storage facility as
detailed below. Those islands that are particularly susceptible due to
sensitive groundwaters, should not consider battery separation unless the
alternative is dumpsite disposal.
Acid Handling
Great care should therefore be employed when removing acid by draining the
casing. Once it is collected, it is important that the acid be neutralised to
increase the pH (and hence reduce its corrosiveness) but also to remove the
lead dissolved in the acid.
The acid should be diluted with an excess of water to give a 5 to 10-fold
dilution. The liquid should then be neutralized by mixing with an equal volume
of agricultural lime, or other alkaline material containing calcium carbonate, or
sodium hydroxide. (Calcium carbonate can be ordered in from chemical
manufacturing companies, and contact details are included later). Use of