WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Why is the recycling of accumulators important?
The lead accumulators contain chemical substances (lead and sulphuric acid) which can cause serious impacts on the environment and human health. Lead is a toxic metal, while sulphuric acid possesses corrosive properties.
The symptoms anticipated from the exposure to lead include symptoms of the central nervous system, fatigue, brain damages, learning difficulties and kidney problems. Contact with acid solution (battery liquid) can cause irritation or burning of the skin, irritation of the eyes and of the respiratory system.
Discarding of batteries in landfills can lead to the pollution of the underground water table, possibly affecting the drinking water quality. Furthermore, discarding of accumulators in rivers or in the sea, can severely impact the marine environment.
Why is the recycling of batteries important?
Though batteries can be very helpful in our everyday life, nevertheless, they can become dangerous, if not managed correctly after their use. This happens because batteries contain chemical substances (heavy metals: mercury, cadmium, nickel, lead), which can cause severe impacts on human health when they are dumped or discarded together with household waste. Discarding batteries in the household waste stream increases the toxicity levels of the landfills, because of the heavy metals contained in the batteries. Heavy metals can pollute the underground water table, the soil and the water, leading to their penetration in the food chain, thus directly affecting human health.
Therefore, recycling of batteries and accumulators is extremely important both for the environment and for the protection of human health.
