Discarded batteries are a serious environmental problem because they contain significant amounts of toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and nickel.The high temperature recycling system used today, unfortunately, produce toxic gases and solid wastes. A new process, however,now exists which operates at below 1000c, generates less wastes and produces metal and salts pure enough for recycling.It combines mechanical sorting, chemical processing and electrolysis techniques, can handle all sorts of batteries and recycles its chemical baths in a 'quasi-closed cycle'.It can also be adapted to processing heavy metral-rich residues from wastes incinerators. The process was developed and patented by the Grenoble National Polytechnic.To transfer this new technology to industry, however, the laboratory work had to be demonstrated in a more industrial setting.RECUPYL, anSME set up to commercialise the process received funds from the LIFE programme,Electricite de France and several French authorities and programme to establish a pilot plant. Test began in September last year, and provided the process to be highly effective.Agreements for three industrial-scale installations are now under waywith companies and local and regional authorities around europe.If built,the new plants will be capable of recycling up to 3,500 tonnes of batteries between them each year-a significant part of Europe's total battery parts. Contact: Dr. F. Tedjar,RECUPYL Tl. + 33 76 57 45 70 Fx. +33 76 57 45 97 |
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