Battery manufacturers should ensure their products are easily recognisable by chemistry, the 16th Asian Battery Conference was told.
Renewed calls have once again been made for a global identification system amid safety concerns as scrap lithium-ion batteries continue to be mixed with lead-acid battery in recycling shipments.
Mooted during this year’s Battery Council International, East Penn’s Kevin Smith called for battery manufacturers to do more to help recycling plants identify different chemistries, quickly and safely.
Standing in for East Penn general manager Mark Wels, Smith made the call at during conference.
He told delegates that a system must be introduced globally. He suggested labelling, float density tests or manufacturers to put Radio Frequency Identification chips on the batteries as possible solutions to the problem of recycling the 120,000,000 units each year.
The sentiment was echoed by John Simpson, Commercial Director at Dross Engineering SAS, who took the opportunity at the event to call for a shake up with the most recycled product in the world.
He told delegates in Bangkok this week: “There’s an issue with the number of lithium-ion batteries being put among scrap lead-acid batteries, and it leads to serious explosions.”
