Several organisations and corporate entities, however, must be commended for implementing environmentally responsible initiatives that go beyond the hour-long festivities. This includes banking group HSBC’s used battery collection programme scheduled to run until June 5.
The predicament of the public now, however, is where to dispose of used batteries for recycling after this programme ends.
It is common knowledge that batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed of.
When incinerated, certain metals could be released into the air or can concentrate in the ash produced by the combustion process.
The disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) such as dry cell batteries and light bulbs has been a perennial problem for ordinary citizens trying to find a solution to e-waste management.
The Green Living Special Interest Group of the Malaysian Nature Society collects used batteries from the public but faces problems trying to locate a facility willing to accept them for reclamation, recycling, or safe disposal.
The only authorised scheduled waste contractor in the country is unwilling to agree to anything other than a one-off collection as a goodwill gesture.
Unlicensed “recycling” outfits which claim to “recycle” computers and other electronic waste items more often than not strip and recover only valuable metals from the electronic products and dispose of the rest of the items in the trash, and they invariably end up in landfills.
It is ironic that the Housing and Local Government Ministry claims that Malaysians do not recycle enough, yet when initiatives are made by environmental organisations to collect electronic waste and hazardous household waste for recycling or safe disposal, no corporate or governmental entity is able to offer a solution.
We strongly urge the Housing and Local Government as well as Natural Resources and the Environment ministries to implement measures to streamline and increase the recycling and safe disposal of electronic waste by:
> Phasing out the use of mercury-containing batteries through legislation;
> Ensuring uniformity in the collection, storage and transportation of batteries and hazardous waste;
> Requiring manufacturers to provide facilities for the collection of used batteries and electronic products for recycling, and instituting “producer take-back” measures; and,
> Providing facilities to collect electronic waste and hazardous household waste, including batteries, electrical appliances, light bulbs, paint and chemicals, at accessible locations, such as in front of local council buildings and residents’ association buildings.
In the meantime, the public can reduce the number of batteries entering the waste stream by not purchasing unnecessary battery-operated products and by purchasing and using rechargable batteries instead of single-use batteries.
Keeping toxic metals and environmental pollutants out of our waste stream and thus our air, soil and water should be a national health and safety concern, and not merely a month-long Earth Hour corporate social responsibility project.
WONG EE LYNN,
Coordinator, Green Living Special Interest Group,
Malaysian Nature Society.
Source ://http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2012%2F4%2F15%2Ffocus%2F11103822&sec=focus
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