Technical and organisational conditions in the management of recovery and recycling processes of waste batteries and accumulators

Introduction/background: Waste batteries and accumulators are hazardous waste and should not be sent to landfill sites. Their presence in the waste mixture causes the release of dangerous heavy metals into the natural environment. Aim of the paper: The aim of the study is to review the processes currently used in the recycling of used batteries and accumulators, currently used in the world and in Poland, as well as installations and technologies, depending on the types, kinds and physicochemical properties of waste, and to draw attention to the ventures to prevent waste generation. Materials and methods: The paper discusses the nature of waste, storage and transport conditions, organisation of collection, processes and processing technology. The article presents examples of waste management facilities dealing with recovery and recycling of batteries in Poland and Silesia. The research was based on an analysis of legal acts, statistical data, professional literature and company experiences. The second part is a case study. Selected environmental systems presented on descriptive models are based on the results of an environment (region) system analysis. Results and conclusions: EU directives and national law force the reuse of raw materials used in their production. Therefore, one should strive to apply the most effective technologies of waste recovery and recycling. The most recommended and cost-effective is product salvage followed by material recovery, especially of scarce, rare and precious earth metals. Various processes and technologies (installations) for the recovery of raw materials from waste batteries and accumulators are used around the world. The best known are: Jogmec, Batrec, Recytec, Accurec, Everead, Inmetco, Sab-Nife, Snam-Savam, Citron, Batenus, TNO. Long battery life minimises the amount of waste, and thus reduces the burden on the environment. Therefore, in the process of producing batteries, it is important to improve the technology already at the production stage. An example is the Polish experience (Europower; Tuborg; Tuborg-Silver).