The goal of this research is to justify the environmentally friendly management of waste batteries and to study their resource potential and environmental impact.
This study systematically analyzes the environmental impact, classification, composition, legislative management, recycling, and pollution hazards of waste batteries.
The scientific novelty of the research covers the substantiation of scientific principles for the environmentally safe management of waste batteries in China, which makes it possible to reduce their negative impact on the environment and humans; estimation of the composition and resource potential of waste batteries in household waste, which will allow for a comprehensive assessment of their impact on the environment and humans, as well as for economic justification of waste battery recycling; Weibull distribution model application for waste battery lifecycle assessment, which allows the estimation of the amount of waste batteries in household waste. The conceptual approaches to assessing the environmental impact of waste batteries under different management methods were further developed, that differ in that the material flow analysis and lifecycle assessment are applied, thereby ensuring reliable prediction of environmental consequences. The waste battery management system based on China's waste processing technologies was improved, which differs from existing approaches in that the principles of waste reduction, separate collection, sorting, and further processing are applied, thereby enabling rational resource use.
The Chapter 1 is devoted to the classification standards of waste batteries, including classification by electrolyte type, working properties, positive and negative electrode materials, etc. The characteristics, applications and chemical reaction mechanisms of common batteries are analyzed. The specific hazards of waste batteries to the environment and humans are discussed, including heavy metal pollution and health risks. The composition of waste batteries is also discussed. The study compares the content of typical elements in various batteries through tabular data, and analyzes the main components and environmental risks of lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries. In terms of legislative management, the study compares the legal systems and practical experience of Japan, the United States, Germany and other countries in the recycling and treatment of waste batteries.
The chapter 2 examines the methods of waste battery management. A systematic analysis of the storage, collection, logistics system optimization and classification of waste batteries is carried out to propose a waste battery management system that conforms to China's national conditions. The storage requirements and methods of waste batteries are discussed in detail. For different types of waste batteries, corresponding storage facilities and safety protection measures are suggested. The current status and problems of China's waste battery collection system are analyzed.
In the Chapter 3, the resource recovery potential of waste batteries was evaluated, focusing on the analysis of waste battery generation, recycling status and metal resource value. Waste battery flows in China have been analyzed. This study uses a quantitative analysis method, combined with China's battery production, sales, and import and export data (2014-2023), the data comes from the United Nations Commodity Trade Database and the China Battery Association report. The Weibull life distribution model is used to estimate the amount of waste batteries generated in China, and the calculation method is also based on the average life and recycling rate of batteries. The resource potential of metals in waste batteries in China was estimated.
The Chapter 4 analyzes the current status of waste battery recycling technology, focusing on the environmental impact of recycling cathode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries. By analyzing the composition of lithium-ion batteries, it assesses which components may pose environmental hazards. The sources of air, water, noise, solid waste, and toxic chemicals generated during the recycling process are also discussed. Furthermore, this chapter analyzes waste battery treatment methods, including pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and biological methods. Additionally, the recommendations are developed for the optimization of waste battery management in China.
