First, ask questions.
Since the second industrial revolution, the application of electricity has gradually integrated into our lives. We have gradually become inseparable from the existence of electricity. Since the advent of the battery, this small and exquisite power supply has been favored by people. However, do you realize that this small battery will be the killer of the ecological environment? Maybe you have accidentally thrown it into the drawer or even the side of the road, maybe you don't realize its harmfulness, so please come into our research topic and you will know something.
Second, the purpose and content of the study.
With the development of social economy, all kinds of batteries are also flooding our lives, but the harm of waste batteries has not attracted everyone's attention. Therefore, our research group chose the topic "Harm and treatment of waste batteries", hoping that through our investigation and study, we can have a certain understanding of the harm and treatment of waste batteries, and also hope that through our investigation and study, we can awaken people's consciousness and make everyone pay attention to the harm of waste batteries.
Shantou, our hometown, is a beautiful seaside city. We feel that we have an obligation to protect its beautiful environment. What are the hazards of waste batteries and how much are they? Our research group has launched a series of investigation activities for this purpose.
Third, the research process of the subject
1, data search and analysis
After the subject is determined, our team members will work together, some surfing the Internet, some looking up books, some consulting newspapers and magazines, and collecting information everywhere, which is our important work. The information collected naturally helps us a lot. Afterwards, we also carried out a series of sorting and analysis work, and put forward some problems in the investigation, so I won't give detailed examples here. These materials are also an important basis for us to summarize the paper.
2. Field test
(1) questionnaire survey
After the subject was determined, our team members made a questionnaire and distributed it to our classmates, teachers and some citizens. Although the recovery rate is only 60% ~ 70%, which does not achieve the expected effect, we have made a serious summary and statistics, and the data content is still relatively reliable.
(2) Interview and investigation
In addition, we also interviewed comrades of the Environmental Protection Bureau of our city on this issue. Of course, it didn't go well at first. Because of the conflict between school and working hours, it was not until the third time that we met the person we wanted to interview. Then, we also asked the comrades of the Environmental Protection Bureau seriously, and they also gave us a comprehensive answer. (Afterwards, we did an interview at that time, see the appendix. ) This field interview has achieved some results.
3. Analysis and summary
After the task of data collection and investigation was completed, our team members worked together for two days and two nights, screened out useful data, carefully analyzed and discussed the investigation results, and finally conceived and adjusted the paper.
Fourth, the research results and analysis
Harm and treatment of waste batteries
(A) the generation and harm of waste batteries
Dry battery is one of the most widely used commodities in our daily life, from cameras, tape recorders, calculators and electronic alarm clocks to pagers, electronic dictionaries and handheld computers. China is a big producer and consumer of dry batteries, with an annual output of 654.38+0.5 billion batteries, ranking first in the world and a battery consumption of 7 billion batteries. On average, every person in China consumes 5 dry batteries every year, so a lot of waste batteries will be produced.
Although the waste battery is small, it is harmful. However, the pollution of waste batteries has not received due attention, because it can not be felt through the senses like garbage, air and water pollution, and it has great concealment. At present, China has become a big country in battery production and consumption, and the pollution of waste batteries is a major environmental problem that needs to be solved urgently. In terms of volume and weight, waste batteries are insignificant in domestic garbage, but their harm is very great. Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead. Mercury is very toxic, and lead can cause nervous disorder and nephritis. Cadmium mainly causes kidney injury and bone diseases-osteoporosis, rickets and fractures. If waste batteries are mixed with domestic garbage and buried, heavy metals seeping out over time may pollute groundwater and soil.
For a long time, when producing dry batteries in China, a toxic substance-mercury or mercury compounds has to be added. In China, the mercury content of alkaline dry batteries is 1 ~ 5%, and that of neutral dry batteries is 0.025%. Every year, the mercury used in the production of dry batteries in China reaches dozens of tons. Mercury is commonly known as "mercury". Mercury and its compounds are toxic. Scientists have found that mercury has obvious neurotoxicity and has adverse effects on endocrine system and immune system. Minamata disease is a public hazard that shocked the world in Japan in 1950s, which was caused by mercury pollution.
More than 40 years ago, in Minamata, a seaside town in southern Kyushu, Japan, a strange disease appeared among local residents. The patient began to lisp, gait instability, quadriplegia, and finally the whole body spasms, mental disorders, and died in painful torture. Later, more and more people were infected with the disease, and even cats and seabirds showed the same symptoms. Later, medical workers found toxic methylmercury from the dead and the bodies of marine fish, which proved that people were poisoned by eating contaminated fish. After investigation, it turned out that the local Japanese nitrogen fertilizer industry company discharged mercury-containing wastewater into Minamata Bay all the year round, which polluted the seawater with mercury, and the seafood caught locally contained high concentration of methylmercury.
In order to restore the ecological environment of Minamata Bay, the Japanese government spent 14 years and invested 48.5 billion yen to excavate 4 meters of mercury-containing sediments in Minamata Bay and completely remove them. At the same time, an isolation net was set at the entrance of Minamata Bay to catch all the polluted fish in the bay for landfill. Masayoshi Yoshii, the mayor of Minamata, Japan, who witnessed the outbreak of Minamata disease, said with emotion: "After nearly half a century of unremitting efforts, we finally got out of the shadow of Minamata disease and are building a new Minamata city. I hope that the whole world will learn from the lessons of Minamata disease in Japan, get rid of ignorant production methods and advocate civilized production methods. "
It can be seen that the harm of waste batteries to the environment and human body is far beyond our imagination. Discarding batteries at will not only pollutes the environment, harms human health, but also wastes resources. Based on the annual output of 654.38+000 billion batteries, the annual consumption will be 654.38+0.56 million tons of zinc, 226,000 tons of manganese dioxide, 2,080 tons of copper, 27,000 tons of zinc chloride, 79,000 tons of ammonium chloride and 43,000 tons of carbon rods. Therefore, it is imperative to recycle waste batteries to benefit the country and the people. This requires people to find ways to solve the pollution problem of waste batteries.
(2) Recycling of waste batteries
In fact, waste batteries are not "waste" because they contain a lot of non-ferrous metals and are valuable non-renewable resources on the earth. The best way to treat waste batteries is recycling, extracting useful components from them and turning waste into treasure. The recovery of waste batteries is the first and most difficult link in environmental management of waste batteries. Because the users of batteries are all over thousands of households, there are units and individuals, and the amount of each user is not very large, so it is very difficult to collect used batteries. The environmental management of waste batteries is a complex system engineering, involving a series of processes such as collection, classification, transportation, treatment and disposal, involving a wide range. It needs the cooperation of environmental protection departments, health departments, economic management departments, battery manufacturers, battery sellers and the public. At the same time, publicity and education means should be combined with administrative means, legal means and economic means to promote this work.
However, according to the statistics of China Battery Industry Association, the recovery rate of waste batteries in China is less than 2%.
Take Shanghai, which is in a leading position in the field of waste battery recycling in China. There are five ways to recycle used batteries in Shanghai: setting up a "hazardous waste" sorting box or a special recycling place for used batteries in the pilot community; From 1998, set up waste battery recycling offices in major primary and secondary schools and government agencies; In more than 2,000 "Oriental Pavilions" all over the city, citizens can enjoy a discount of 20 yuan when buying new batteries. Hualian, Lianhua and other supermarkets and some big shopping malls have recycling points; A special sorting basket for recycling waste batteries is installed on the street sorting bucket. Although Shanghai began to recycle waste batteries in May of 65438, by May of 1998, there were more than 6,000 waste battery recycling points in the city, and more than 75 tons of waste batteries have been recycled so far, but there is still a big gap compared with the annual output of 3,200 tons of waste batteries in the city.
At present, developed countries have made great progress in environmental management of waste batteries. In Germany, all waste batteries are collected, sorted and treated. Government legislation makes it clear that highly toxic lead-acid batteries, mercury-containing batteries and cadmium-nickel batteries must be labeled with recycling labels; Battery manufacturers and distributors must collect all waste batteries; Dealers must classify labeled and unlabeled batteries; Battery manufacturers must establish battery recycling and disposal facilities; Priority must be given to recycling all waste batteries, and non-renewable batteries should be properly disposed of according to the Waste Management Law; In battery production, it is necessary to further reduce the heavy metal content of batteries, especially the mercury content of alkaline manganese batteries, and actively develop new products with little harm to the environment.
The United States has the most detailed legislation on environmental management of waste batteries. Not only has a perfect waste battery recycling system been established, but also a number of waste battery treatment plants have been established. At the same time, we will persistently publicize and educate the public, so that the public can consciously support and cooperate with the recycling of used batteries.
(3) Disposal of waste batteries
The recovery of waste batteries is the first step of recovery, and reprocessing is the key to recovery. At present, the recycled waste batteries are still lying in the warehouse and homeless.
The technology of disposing of waste batteries is not a problem. Developed countries already have ready-made technology, so just use it. It is understood that a "wet treatment" device is being built in the suburb of magdeburg, Germany, in which all kinds of batteries except lead batteries are dissolved in sulfuric acid, and then various metals are extracted from the solution with the help of ionic resin. The raw materials obtained in this way are purer than the heat treatment method, so the price is higher in the market, and 95% of the substances contained in the battery can be extracted. Wet processing can save the sorting process (because sorting is manual operation, which will increase the cost). The annual processing capacity of this device in magdeburg can reach 7,500 tons. Although its cost is slightly higher than that of landfill, precious raw materials will not be discarded and will not pollute the environment. The annual processing capacity of the device can reach 7500 tons.
The vacuum heat treatment method developed by Alte company in Germany is cheaper, but it needs to sort out the nickel-cadmium batteries from the waste batteries, heat the waste batteries in vacuum, quickly recover mercury, then grind the remaining raw materials, extract metallic iron with magnets, and then extract nickel and manganese from the remaining powder. The cost of treating one ton of waste batteries is less than 1500 mark.
Switzerland: There are two factories specializing in the processing and utilization of waste batteries. The method adopted by Butrick Company is to grind the waste batteries and send them to the furnace for heating. At this time, the volatilized mercury can be extracted, and zinc will also volatilize at a higher temperature. It is also a precious metal. Iron and manganese are melted to form ferromanganese alloy for steelmaking. The factory can process 2000 tons of waste batteries a year, and can obtain 780 tons of ferromanganese alloy, 400 tons of zinc alloy and 3 tons of mercury. Another factory directly extracts iron from batteries and sells metal mixtures such as manganese oxide, zinc oxide, copper oxide and nickel oxide as metal scrap. However, the heat treatment method is expensive, and Switzerland also stipulates that each battery buyer should be charged a small amount of special expenses for waste battery treatment.
As far as we know, some domestic scientific research units and enterprises have also developed related technologies. The Donghua Xinxin Waste Battery Recycling Factory in Hebei Province, which adopts the technology of University of Science and Technology Beijing, is under construction. The Beijing Municipal Development Planning Commission also approved the adoption of European technology and equipment to establish a waste dry battery treatment plant. Henan Xinxiang Battery Factory has technicians who have designed a set of technology and production equipment for recycling used batteries. After two years of tackling key problems, Anshan City, Liaoning Province has successfully developed a harmless treatment process for recycling used batteries, which has been demonstrated by relevant experts and departments.
(IV) The status quo of waste battery recycling in China.
In order to strengthen the prevention and control of mercury pollution in battery products and protect and improve China's ecological environment, nine departments, including the former China National Light Industry Federation, jointly issued the "Regulations on Restricting Mercury Content in Battery Products" on 1997 12 3 1, requiring that batteries be imported from 2001kloc-0/. According to the requirements of laws and regulations, China's battery industry will limit the mercury content of battery products in stages, first to achieve low mercury, and finally to achieve mercury-free. Low mercury means that the mercury content in the battery is less than 0.025% of the battery weight; Mercury-free means that the mercury content in the battery is less than 0.00 1% of the battery weight.
The Regulation clearly states that from 200 1 1 1, it is forbidden to produce all kinds of batteries with mercury content greater than 0.025% of the battery weight in China. From 200 1, 1 and 1, all domestic and foreign battery products (including batteries matched with electrical appliances) entering the domestic market must be marked with mercury content (such as "low mercury" or "mercury-free"), and batteries without mercury content shall not enter the market. From June 5438+1 October1day, 2002, it is forbidden to distribute batteries with mercury content greater than 0.025% of the battery weight in the domestic market. Since June 65438+1 October1day in 2005, the production of alkaline zinc-manganese batteries with mercury content greater than 0.00 1% of the battery weight has been banned in China. Since June 5438+1 October1day, China has banned the distribution of alkaline zinc-manganese batteries with mercury content greater than 0.00 1% of the battery weight. In order to ensure that the inspection of imported batteries is carried out as scheduled, the national entry-exit inspection and quarantine department is making all preparations before the inspection.
With the improvement of people's awareness of environmental protection, the harm of waste batteries has also attracted the attention of all walks of life, and more and more people began to collect waste batteries consciously: in August 2000, Beijing Youth Daily reported that Tian in Xinxiang, Henan Province spent more than 20,000 yuan and collected 30 tons of waste batteries. In April 2002, Yangzi Evening News reported that Ding, a 68-year-old retired teacher in Xuzhou, spent three years collecting thousands of used batteries.
At the same time, environmental protection organizations all over the country have also carried out recycling activities of used batteries, calling on people to collect used batteries and reduce environmental pollution. From 200 1 to 65438+2, Beijing 100 colleges and universities jointly launched a large-scale activity of "going into the campus and defending the homeland", which mobilized college students to actively participate in the organization of collecting used batteries and achieved good results. Government agencies also played a role in this movement. In 2000, Beijing Environmental Sanitation Bureau cooperated with more than 50 fast food restaurants and more than 40 chain stores such as McDonald's, Rogers, Polaris Photo Agency, Good Neighbor, Oskay and Xinjiekou Department Store to collect waste batteries. The collection boxes on the battery counters in some shopping malls and the classified garbage bins specially set up by the Environmental Sanitation Bureau form a large net to "search" for small batteries.
However, in the upsurge of recycling used batteries, we found that used batteries were not recycled. Although the recycling of used batteries has always been supported by people, the reporter's investigation found that the recycling of batteries is not optimistic, and the recycled old batteries only account for a small part of the batteries sold. What's the problem? We think the reason is:
1. government departments didn't really play a role in this work. In the Law on the Prevention and Control of Fixed Waste, there are no detailed rules for battery recycling, and there are no rewards and punishments for recycling or not. Relevant functional departments cannot give targeted guidance to production enterprises, recycling departments and individuals.
2. At present, the waste battery recycling network is basically "woven" by organizations and individuals. Despite the publicity, it is still difficult for residents to collect and hand in used batteries because they do not know enough about the harm of used batteries. Quot "Big Net" has some individuals engaged in collection work, but it is limited by its own ability and cannot form a scale. After several years of hard work, the number of collections is only a drop in the ocean of sales.
3. As a production enterprise, battery manufacturers provide hundreds of millions of batteries to the whole society every year, but the manufacturers who really consciously participate in the recycling process are really rare.
For this problem, we put forward three suggestions:
1. It is necessary to intensify publicity, so that more and more people can establish the concept that waste dry batteries must be recycled, so as to consciously participate in recycling activities.
2. The state should give some support in policies and regulations, scientific and technological innovation, capital investment, etc., and formulate relevant policies and regulations, stipulating that waste dry batteries must be recycled, and it is forbidden to throw waste dry batteries into domestic garbage at will; The scientific research units and enterprises that actively participate in the recycling of waste dry batteries should be given preferential policies and funds to ensure the capital appreciation of investors and the priority promotion of unit products.
3. Create various convenient conditions for the recycling of waste dry batteries, such as setting up waste dry batteries recycling bins in public places, speeding up garbage sorting and recycling, and setting up garbage bins dedicated to recycling batteries in residential areas; When selling batteries, implement the mortgage system or adopt the old-for-new system to ensure the recovery rate of used dry batteries. As long as all social forces are fully mobilized, the recycling of used batteries is not difficult to solve.
(V) The recycling status of waste batteries in our city.
At present, the recycling of waste batteries in Shantou is at a medium level in the country, and the establishment of recycling boxes is at the forefront in the country. However, there is no recycling center for used batteries in China, so now there is only a backlog of used batteries that cannot be disposed of. In order to deeply understand the situation of Shantou people recycling used batteries, we organized a survey and selected 200 questionnaires for statistics. The results show that:
1. batteries are widely used. 70% of the respondents use more batteries, and most of them are disposable batteries.
2. The awareness of recycling used batteries is weak. 8.5% of the respondents piled up used batteries at home; 64.2% of the respondents didn't know about the recycling of waste batteries in Shantou; 62.3% of the respondents did not know the relevant policies. Only 4 1.5% of the respondents know the number of waste battery recycling boxes in Shantou.
3. I don't know the harm of waste batteries. Only 16.9% and 9.0% of the respondents know that waste batteries will pollute water and air, and 22.3% of the respondents know that it will endanger human health.
4. They have greater confidence in recycling waste batteries, and 49. 1% of the respondents believe that recycling waste batteries has a bright future.
Through this research on the recycling of used batteries, we not only improved a lot of knowledge, but also realized that most people's awareness of environmental protection needs to be strengthened. I hope that with everyone's efforts, waste batteries will have a bright future in the near future.
Appendix I questionnaire
1. Do you often use batteries?
1, 2, no.
Do you often use rechargeable batteries or disposable batteries?
1, 2 rechargeable batteries, disposable batteries
3. What should I do with the battery after use?
1, when ordinary garbage is thrown away 2, it is thrown into the waste battery recycling box 3, regardless of it 4.
Do you think waste batteries are harmful?
1, 2, not 3, I don't know.
5. How much do you know about the harm of waste batteries?
1, don't know 2, average 3, relatively clear 4, very clear.
Do you know how many recycling stations there are in Shantou?
1、29 2、30 3、3 1 4、32
7. Do you know the recycling situation of waste batteries in Shantou?
1, don't know 2, average 3, relatively clear 4, very clear.
8. Have you ever used a waste battery recycling box?
1, it's 2, not 3, never heard of it.
9. Do you know the policies and regulations for recycling used batteries?
1, I have heard of it, but I don't know. I know it better. I know it very well. I know it very well.
10. What brand of battery do you usually use?
1, 555 2, Vigor 3, Double Star 4, Toshiba
Are you satisfied with the batteries on the market?
1, satisfactory 2, average 3, unsatisfactory
12. Have you accumulated a lot of waste batteries?
1, 2, no.
Thirteen, do you think the harm of waste batteries is (multiple choices)
1, affecting room cleanliness 2, endangering human health 3, polluting the air.
4. Water pollution. An increase in solid waste.
14. What do you think is the prospect of recycling used batteries?
1, no prospect 2, average 3, promising 4 I don't know.
15. Do you have any suggestions for recycling used batteries?
-
Appendix II Interview
1. Q: What is the current situation of recycling used batteries in China?
Answer; Well, the national environmental protection system attaches great importance to it, but it is difficult to recycle used batteries, and the technical requirements are high, and the country has not issued corresponding laws and regulations, so most used batteries are overstocked. Nationally, the recycling facilities in Shanghai and Shenzhen are relatively advanced, and Shantou is at a medium level in the country, even taking the lead in setting up recycling bins in the country.
2. Q: What is the current battery consumption?
Answer; Guangdong province has an annual output of 3 billion batteries, two thirds of which are exported, and the local consumption is 654.38+0 billion batteries, which is relatively large.
3. Q: When did Shantou start recycling used batteries?
Answer; 200 1, Zhongshan No.4 Primary School cooperated with Jinyuan District to promote the recycling of used batteries and achieved certain results. At the end of 200 1, 30 waste battery recycling boxes will be set up, which is the only channel for recycling waste batteries in this city.
4. Q: How serious is the harm of waste batteries to the environment and human body?
Answer; We all know that waste batteries contain acid-base electrolytes and heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead. Mercury is highly toxic, difficult to degrade, and easily volatilizes into the atmosphere, polluting water and soil.
Harm to human body: mainly in the form of "food chain": soil decay-deep soil-groundwater-rivers and lakes-aquatic organisms-animals-people.
In particular, cadmium in mobile phone batteries is a carcinogenic poison, and the "pain disease" caused by it has occurred in Japan.
5. Q: What laws and regulations are there now?
Answer; Well, this regulation is still under study, and two drafts have been finalized. It is estimated that it will be officially promulgated next year.
6. Q: What is the disposal method of waste batteries? Which part is mainly recycled?
Answer; At present, it is impossible to carry out large-scale treatment, and most of the waste batteries are just stored. There is a recycling center in Guangdong Province, that is, "Guangdong Central Environmental Protection Technology Promotion Institute Shiwan Light Tube Waste Battery Transfer Warehouse". At present, a demonstration center for comprehensive garbage treatment is under construction. Once completed, it will be able to handle a large number of waste batteries. Main recovery
Harmful substances in waste batteries.
7. Q: What are the difficulties in recycling used batteries at present?
Answer; The main difficulties are: the harmful substances in waste batteries are counted as milligrams, the content is small, it is difficult to recover, the treatment is complicated, the technical requirements are high and the cost is high. The masses' consciousness is weak and their enthusiasm is not high. The distribution of recycling bins is narrow and the number is small.
8. Q: Why not implement the "compensation" system popular abroad?
Answer; Limited by domestic technology, it is difficult to deal with. The waste battery recycling system has not yet been established. Although the social benefit of treating waste batteries is great, the economic benefit is small and the profit is low.
9. Q: What's the publicity about recycling used batteries?
Answer; We publicize it through newspapers, radio and television. Opening a column on environmental protection in Shantou Daily. Teacher's comment: This research group chooses this topic for research in combination with the progress of modern society and the popularization of electrification in life, as well as the preliminary practice of recycling used batteries by the environmental protection department of our city.
The whole group of students cooperated in division of labor, designed questionnaires, interviewed relevant comrades of Shantou Environmental Protection Bureau, consulted relevant materials, organized discussion and research, sorted out materials, and obtained a large number of data and reports. Through the same research, we know that a small waste battery is actually very harmful, not only waste batteries, but also various chemical products, such as "white pollution", which seriously pollutes the living environment. We must improve the public's environmental awareness ideologically in order to fundamentally reduce environmental pollution. It can be seen that through research-based learning, students' ability to participate in social practice, conduct social investigation, self-study, explore and innovate, and protect the environment is cultivated, and they will become knowledgeable modern talents in the future.
Harmful substances in waste batteries.
7. Q: What are the difficulties in recycling used batteries at present?
Answer; The main difficulties are: the harmful substances in waste batteries are counted as milligrams, the content is small, it is difficult to recover, the treatment is complicated, the technical requirements are high and the cost is high. The masses' consciousness is weak and their enthusiasm is not high. The distribution of recycling bins is narrow and the number is small.
8. Q: Why not implement the "compensation" system popular abroad?
Answer; Limited by domestic technology, it is difficult to deal with. The waste battery recycling system has not yet been established. Although the social benefit of treating waste batteries is great, the economic benefit is small and the profit is low.
9. Q: What's the publicity about recycling used batteries?
Answer; We publicize it through newspapers, radio and television. Opening a column on environmental protection in Shantou Daily.
Teacher's comment: This research group chooses this topic for research in combination with the progress of modern society and the popularization of electrification in life, as well as the preliminary practice of recycling used batteries by the environmental protection department of our city.
The whole group of students cooperated in division of labor, designed questionnaires, interviewed relevant comrades of Shantou Environmental Protection Bureau, consulted relevant materials, organized discussion and research, sorted out materials, and obtained a large number of data and reports. Through the same research, we know that a small waste battery is actually very harmful, not only waste batteries, but also various chemical products, such as "white pollution", which seriously pollutes the living environment. We must improve the public's environmental awareness ideologically in order to fundamentally reduce environmental pollution. It can be seen that through research-based learning, students' ability to participate in social practice, conduct social investigation, self-study, explore and innovate, and protect the environment is cultivated, and they will become knowledgeable modern talents in the future.