Automotive battery makers have urged China to issue battery recycling standards and clamp down on illegal vendors, the South China Morning Post reported.
Most used car batteries on China’s mainland are collected by small, unlicensed vendors who hazardously dispose the battery after selling the lead to other suppliers, according to Kenneth Yeng, vice-president and general manager of Johnson Control.
The mainland is the world’s largest car market and produces up to 2m tonnes of used lead-acid batteries each year. Mishandling of scrap lead and leftover acid could spoil water and soil.
“With the government taking the lead, lots of work can be done to fine-tune the system,” Yeng said and added that 100% recycling rates could be possible. Zhang Tianren, chairman of Tianneng, suggested to establish a full car battery recycling chain including battery makers, licensed collectors, licensed lead producers and car owners.
Zhang Wei, manager at Enersys, stated the company hopes that the government would support the creation of a “Western-style recycling system” being environmentally friendly as well as economically efficient.
About 2,000 car battery makers manufacture on China’s mainland, largely smaller factories with little financial strength. Pollution concerns have risen in the last years, forcing the government to set up vehicle emission standards.