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Environmental Cost of Hybrids' Battery Recycling?

Posted by timothy on from the they're-good-for-bludgeoning-seals dept.

LostMyBeaver writes "I have been considering the purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle for some time. The biggest problem I have currently is that both technologies make use of rechargable batteries. The same tree-huggers telling me gasoline is bad are telling me that batteries are bad too. I'm only partially knowledgable in this area, but it appears the battery technologies are generally based at least on lithium ion, nickel metal hydride, lead acid and nickel-cadmium. I was hoping someone on Slashdot would be knowledgable enough to explain the environmental cost of recycling these batteries. If I understand correctly, after these chemicals are 'spent' so the cells no longer maintain a charge, they are not useful for producing new batteries. I can only imagine that the most common method of recycling the cells is to store the toxic chemicals of the batteries in barrels and refilling the cells with new chemicals. This sounds like an environmental disaster to me. Is there someone here that can help me sleep better at night by explaining what really happens?"

11 of 520 comments (clear)

  1. Radioactive Batteries by HaeMaker · · Score: 4, Funny

    The DOOZY I heard the other day from a mechanic, who I believe is afraid his job is disappearing, is that batteries in the Prius are RADIOACTIVE!

    1. Re:Radioactive Batteries by pig_man1899 · · Score: 5, Funny

      According to my mechanic, now that muffler fluid and blinker fluid are the same, the cost to replace has come down at least 10%. He says they are still working on making cheaper muffler bearings however.

      --
      The manifest absurdity of it is too obvious to require explanation
  2. Re:$200 bounty by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Great. So now we'll have to worry about people tearing open the backs of our cars to remove our _perfectly good, multi-thousand-dollar_ battery packs to sell them for $200 to feed their addictions (heroin, alcohol, food, gasoline, etc.).

  3. Re:$200 bounty by Quantos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Umm *pause for twitching*, where do you park?

    --
    Some people are only alive because it's against the law for me to hunt them down and kill them.
  4. Re:$200 bounty by Sir_Ace · · Score: 5, Funny

    You forgot 8" floppy disks... Can't... Have... Enough....

  5. Clearly you know nothing... by ameline · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's the muffler bearings that need periodic replacement, and the *blinker" fluid that needs to be replenished from time to time.

    Both products can be found here;
    http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10
    http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=6

    --
    Ian Ameline
  6. Re:Ownership by mustafap · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm paranoid about theft, so I always take my battery with me when I park. Solves both problems.

    --
    Open Source Drum Kit, LPLC deve board - mjhdesigns.com
  7. Re:Car's Battery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... you sure as hell don't want to do it yourself. That thing is 330 volts, 6.5 amps, and a hell of lot bigger/heavier than a standard car battery.

    pussy

  8. Re:Ownership by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

    Both problems? All three. If you can carry a Prius battery around, you're not going to get mugged.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  9. Re:Sounds good... by brusk · · Score: 4, Funny

    And fat friars are made of delicious, delicious monkflesh.

    --
    .sig withheld by request
  10. Re:Car's Battery by Nefarious+Wheel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I = V/R
    If your resistance remains the same, 330V is gonna provide a heckuva lot more amps to run through you.

    V/I = Futile

    --
    Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear