China’s lead-acid pollution was dubbed ‘murder’ by a National People’s Congress (NPC) official at the first ‘green battery industry development seminar’ to be held in China last month.
Wang Yunlong, who is the NPC Environmental Resources Protection Committee Deputy Director, said the battery industry had a vital position in the national economy and waste lead-acid batteries (LABs) were an extremely important resource: but the problems endangering life and health had to be resolved.
“As far as the government, and the masses, are concerned, these illegal organisations, poorly equipped, lacking in technology and a tremendous waste of resources has resulted in severe environmental pollution, and in some illegal enterprises this is actually murder,” he said.
“There must be integrated control of the whole process, from mining, smelting, manufacturing and recycling, forming a virtuous circle to eliminate waste and pollution,” he said.
The lead from waste LABs was a vital part of the strategy to achieve sustainable development in China, said Wang, where 3 million tons a year were produced.
The first battery pollution prevention and relief special fund was also set up at the seminar, which aims to ‘add significant weight to the battery industry pollution prevention and relief work’.
The fund will finance and implement systems to control and prevent pollution, and provide training and pollution prevention awareness.
Another official at the meeting, Ma Peihua, called the development of the battery industry ‘grim’, and said poor management procedures were lax and that the effects of this could easily result in pollution.
