On 31 Oct 2022 at 11:50, Lee Hart via EV wrote: > In developed countries, I think most lead-acid batteries are being > recycled safely ... The situation was different in the past, and still > is in some third world countries today.
There are unfortunately some third world and lawless nations that do little or nothing to prevent lead pollution and outright immediate poisoning from battery recycling. In some cases where there are regulations, a little cash in the hand of the appropriate official makes legal problems vanish in a puff of toxic smoke. I don't know about today, but in the1990s and early 2000s I read that many spent lead batteries were being exported from the US to such places because, even with the shipping, it was cheaper to have them stripped there. Once again the almighty buck won out over the environment and health. There've also been cases where North American battery companies didn't follow the rules. AFAIK they've paid the price, though not before their employees and neighbors did. My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I think that Eagle-Picher was one. They declared bankruptcy 20-some years ago as a result of cleanup charges and fines levied against them. Here we go - some info at Wikipedia - apparently they were on the hook for asbestos too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle-Picher And here: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-03-1051r Corporations will always be tempted to take shortcuts for the sake of a little more protit. That's why we have to rely on government to regulate industry. Funny how the "let's make goverment so small you can drown it in the bathtub" and "regulatory relief" politicians never talk about things like lead poisoning, isn't it? That can't possibly be because lead makes you stupid, and stupid voters are easier to manipulate. Can it? David Roden, EVDL moderator & general lackey To reach me, don't reply to this message; I won't get it. Use my offlist address here : http://evdl.org/help/index.html#supt = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = I tried to reach Nirvana, but all I ever got were reruns of The Mickey Mouse Club. -- Jim Ignitowsky, "Taxi" (on taking psychedelic drugs) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = _______________________________________________ Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org No other addresses in TO and CC fields HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/
