Post on 01-Feb-2016
description
City of Spokane’s Battery Collection Program
Scott K. WindsorScott K. Windsor
City of Spokane Solid Waste Dept.City of Spokane Solid Waste Dept.
swindsor@spokanecity.orgswindsor@spokanecity.org
Background
19901990 City of Spokane begins collection of City of Spokane begins collection of
household batteries in order to divert household batteries in order to divert mercury and other heavy metals from the mercury and other heavy metals from the waste stream. waste stream.
Collection Means
Curbside PickupCurbside Pickup Transfer Station Drop offTransfer Station Drop off Commercial collection centers serviced by Commercial collection centers serviced by
system personnelsystem personnel First year 21 tons collectedFirst year 21 tons collected
Curbside collection
Place batteries in Place batteries in plastic bags and put plastic bags and put into your recycling bininto your recycling bin
Will pick up auto Will pick up auto batteries as well as batteries as well as other household other household batteriesbatteries
Transfer Stations
Accept batteries from Accept batteries from both household and both household and SQG sources as long SQG sources as long as batteries our as batteries our household in naturehousehold in nature
Batteries placed in Batteries placed in recycling bin for recycling bin for transportation to transportation to battery sorting areabattery sorting area
Commercial sources
Accept household Accept household batteries from local batteries from local businesses that accept businesses that accept them from their them from their customers.customers.
We pick up and We pick up and transporttransport
No feeNo fee
2004
Over 88 tons of Over 88 tons of household batteries household batteries were collected in were collected in addition to over 90 addition to over 90 tons of auto batteriestons of auto batteries
400% growth in the 400% growth in the last 14 years.last 14 years.
Types of household batteries
AlkalineAlkaline Ni-CdNi-Cd Ni-MHNi-MH Li-IonLi-Ion Sealed lead acidSealed lead acid Other- button cell, Carbonaire, etcOther- button cell, Carbonaire, etc
Management of waste stream
Alkaline batteriesAlkaline batteries Recycle?Recycle? Landfill Landfill
Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-Ion
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)Corporation (RBRC)
www.rbrc.orgwww.rbrc.org Will pay both shipping and recycling costsWill pay both shipping and recycling costs Successful example of Product stewardshipSuccessful example of Product stewardship
Sealed Lead Acid
RBRC will acceptRBRC will accept Local Auto Battery recyclerLocal Auto Battery recycler Interstate BatteriesInterstate Batteries Auto batteries, sealed lead acidAuto batteries, sealed lead acid Receive funds for auto batteriesReceive funds for auto batteries Sulfuric acid recycling as wellSulfuric acid recycling as well
Mercury containing batteries
Button cellButton cell Long life Smoke Long life Smoke
detectorsdetectors Other long life Other long life
applicationsapplications Sent out for retortingSent out for retorting
Batteries you don’t want
Liquid Ni-CdLiquid Ni-Cd Carbon-aireCarbon-aire Tend to be Military or Tend to be Military or
Health care relatedHealth care related Household Storage Household Storage
devicesdevices Hazardous waste Hazardous waste
disposaldisposal
Packing
New or reconditioned New or reconditioned drumsdrums
Fiber drumsFiber drums Cardboard boxesCardboard boxes Drums good for about Drums good for about
500-550 lbs.500-550 lbs. ¾ full¾ full
Cardboard box
One cubic yard boxOne cubic yard box Pricing is about 1 ½ Pricing is about 1 ½
times a reconditioned times a reconditioned drumdrum
Holds equivalent of 4 Holds equivalent of 4 drums worth of drums worth of batteriesbatteries
Has inner linerHas inner liner
Packing
No matter the final No matter the final container for disposal, container for disposal, about 1/3 to ¼ final about 1/3 to ¼ final volume needs to be volume needs to be taken up with packing taken up with packing materialmaterial
Sorting and segregating
Local low security Local low security prison provides work prison provides work crew to sort batteriescrew to sort batteries
Place batteries into Place batteries into disposal containerdisposal container
Also provide litter Also provide litter control for systemcontrol for system
Summary
The Energizer bunny The Energizer bunny isn’t laughing at you isn’t laughing at you sorting batteries, he’s sorting batteries, he’s laughing with youlaughing with you
An effective battery An effective battery collection program can collection program can be run on a low budget be run on a low budget thanks to options that thanks to options that are now available are now available