Recycling Mystery: Bulging Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are the driving drive behind merchandise which have redefined life over the previous 20 years, from smartphones to laptops. Nonetheless, once they fail, lithium-ion batteries could cause fires that produce toxic fumes. A bulging battery is a transparent signal of a malfunction that requires quick consideration. Nonetheless, you possibly can recycle it for those who deal with it safely.

Recycling lithium-ion batteries reduces the necessity to extract lithium, and reusing the fabric would be the keystone of a sustainable, electrified life. Assembly the targets for chopping car emissions by 2030 would require the world to provide three times as much lithium annually in comparison with 2023.

By 2050, virtually 20 instances extra lithium battery capability will likely be required to energy electrical automobiles, backup the electrical grid, and hold individuals linked to the web. Recycling each ounce of lithium out there, even from malfunctioning batteries, can assist meet that objective.

Recognizing A Downside Battery

The indicators of a malfunctioning battery are simple to acknowledge. Swelling of the battery pouch brought on by increasing gasoline can distort the form of the machine it powers. For instance, the iPhone within the photograph under popped open as a result of the lithium-ion pouch had swollen to about twice its authentic thickness. If you happen to discover a laptop computer touch-pad that has shifted, it signifies that the battery has expanded a lot that it bent the metallic round it.

Different indicators of an approaching battery failure embrace overheating, leaking chemical substances that point out the pouch burst, and a wierd chemical odor. Whereas overheating is an increasingly common issue with many new electronics, it’s best to take note of your laptop computer or cellphone changing into unusually scorching, notably when not in use.

When You Discover A Bulging Battery

Any leakage of battery fluid is a vital subject and requires quick consideration. First, get the battery or machine out of the home — a bucket partially crammed with sand or setting it in a cool, dry location exterior will do. Take care to not come into contact with the fluid by sporting gloves and an apron and defending your eyes with goggles. Don’t use water to wash up spilled battery chemical substances, as lithium blended with water is corrosive. Totally clear any spilled materials with an absorbent pad. Ship the lithium materials and something you utilize to wash it to your native hazardous waste facility.

Stopping a hearth is your first concern whenever you uncover a malfunctioning lithium-ion battery. Instantly unplug the machine and switch it off. Don’t try to cost a bulging battery. If the battery bursts into flames, use an ABC fire extinguisher to place it out. CO2 fireplace extinguishers or water is not going to be as efficient.

Transfer the machine and battery to a colder location. Lithium is most steady between 40 and 80 levels Fahrenheit, so don’t place it within the solar when shifting it exterior. Cooling or freezing the battery poses a priority when it’s warmed later as a result of the temperature change could cause a response.

If attainable, take away the battery from the machine and place the battery in a fire-proof container away from flammable supplies — such because the bucket described above. Solely do that for those who’re positive you are able to do it safely; don’t put your self in danger.

Ventilate the realm to disperse any probably dangerous gasses.

Don’t place the battery or a tool containing a malfunctioning battery within the trash. They’ll trigger fires in your rubbish can, the rubbish truck, or at any step within the waste sorting course of. Do your neighbors and waste administration staff a favor and take the steps to recycle.

Storing the Bulging Battery Earlier than Recycling 

As soon as a battery is discharged, it’s not more likely to explode or burn spontaneously. If there are uncovered contacts, tape them to keep away from an unintentional spark that might trigger a hearth.

Observe the steering to keep away from moisture, warmth, and freezing temperatures when storing the battery till you possibly can take it to a hazardous waste facility. Keep away from storing the battery in a sealed container, as this might lure harmful gasses that endanger the recycling employee who opens it.

Loosely wrapping the battery in a plastic bag will do the job. Label the bag and if required by the recycling facility, present further info akin to the kind of battery. And whenever you go to a hazardous waste facility, make sure you level out the danger of the bag and its contents to staff.

Add your ZIP Code in Earth911’s Recycling Locator to discover a hazardous waste facility close to you. Earlier than visiting, we propose you name to study their pointers for bulging batteries.

Ending the Job: Recycling

It’s best to keep away from sending your malfunctioning battery or machine to a mail-in program. The U.S. Postal Service had designated lithium batteries as hazardous waste that can not be air-shipped, and any package deal containing them must be marked “HAZMAT.”

Once you transport the battery in a car, make sure it’s secured and can’t fall or be punctured or crushed by different gadgets.

Batteries play a extra distinguished function in day by day life, and a few are certain to fail. Being ready to acknowledge a malfunctioning battery, realizing the way to deal with it safely, and taking the additional steps to recycle it responsibly can contribute to a extra sustainable society.