Used batteries could soon be used as powerful fertilisers, simultaneously tackling one of the country’s biggest polluters and improve recycling rates in Australia.
The new Australian-first technology is pioneered by eco-company ReNutrients, with the new product expected to roll out in the next two years.
Managing Director Brett Smuts said the initiative, had the potential to dramatically reduce battery pollution in Australia and benefit farmers and the environment in the process.
He said a single battery in landfill can pollute 167,000 litres of drinking water by leaching chemicals into soil and waterways.
“We’re solving two problems with one solution, taking waste out of landfill that poisons our waterways, and putting back into agriculture and the environment through micro nutrient fertiliser,” Mr Smuts said.
“I’d always wanted to bring a cleantech solution to Australia and think we are far behind places like northern Europe in terms of battery recycling.”
With a huge proportion of landfills unlined, batteries leach chemicals like mercury, cadmium, lithium, and lead into the environment which often sparks chemical fires that can burn for days.
“A lot of these landfills aren’t lined, and these toxins flow out so we’re trying to take this waste out of the system,” Mr Smuts said.
He added Queensland was the likely location for the new initiative.
The technology works by neutralising chemicals within recycled batteries as well as extracting the zinc, manganese and minerals crucial which make powerful fertiliser for farming.
“We can purify 90 per cent of the battery and turn it into a micro nutrient product that’s useful for organic farming,” Mr Smuts said.
“At the end of the day we want to convert waste and turn it into a product that can be used by our farmers.”
The sustainable technology will be used in collaboration with the Battery Stewardship Council, who will launch their new B-cycle battery recycling scheme early 2022.
CEO of the Battery Stewardship Council Libby Chaplin said Australians consume batteries at a startling rate with only four major battery recycling facilities in Australia.
“Australians buy enough batteries to go around the earth 2.3 times. By 2050 this is predicted to rise to 37 times,” Ms Chaplin said.
“Waste batteries, especially those in small handheld devices, are one of the world’s fastest growing waste streams.”
She added low recycling rates could come down to low awareness of battery pollution and a lack of appropriate recycling facilities.
Chemicals in used batteries can start fires when mixed with household rubbish, and should be dropped off at local battery disposal points.
“To date there have been only limited options for battery recycling in Australia. B-cycle seeks to improve that by incentivising collection, sorting and recycling of batteries,” Ms Chaplin said.
