Ralph Nader on The Nuclear Power Nightmare'

[qayak]

You do realize that most of what we turn in as cores for battery replacement actually is sent to be "recycled" in foreign nations where the lead smelters are killing people, right?

Do you have any evidence for this? I can't seem to find anything on it.

Batteries are not recycled in the large smelters used for seperating base metals from their ore, which seem to be the ones you are talking about. I lived near a lead smelter in Trail, British Columbia.

Lead smelters have always been environmental nightmares which is why almost all were shut down but they are still being used to smelt lead so even if they were used to recycle batteries it isn't like they are any dirtier for it.

What do you suggest, we throw old batteries into the landfill?

 

[qayak]

Thing is I don't think you can assure that.

One company guarantees that no piece of any battery given to them for recycling will end up in any landfill. Every component is recyclable so the claim doesn't seem to be unreasonable.

 

[BenBurch]

Do you have any evidence for this? I can't seem to find anything on it.

Batteries are not recycled in the large smelters used for seperating base metals from their ore, which seem to be the ones you are talking about. I lived near a lead smelter in Trail, British Columbia.

Lead smelters have always been environmental nightmares which is why almost all were shut down but they are still being used to smelt lead so even if they were used to recycle batteries it isn't like they are any dirtier for it.

What do you suggest, we throw old batteries into the landfill?

http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1994/01/cobbing.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28484477/ns/world_news-africa/
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Recycling-Gone-Bad-Where-Does-Our-High-Tech-Waste-Go-38885.shtml
http://workingdirectory.net/posts/2006/59/
http://www.newint.org/features/1997/10/05/toxic/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/60minutes/main4579229.shtml

 

[BenBurch]

One company guarantees that no piece of any battery given to them for recycling will end up in any landfill. Every component is recyclable so the claim doesn't seem to be unreasonable.

Might not be in a landfill, but that does not mean it is safely and cleanly recycled.

 

[qayak]

Might not be in a landfill, but that does not mean it is safely and cleanly recycled.

Do you have evidence for this?

 

[BenBurch]

Do you have evidence for this?

See the links I posted. Took me about 30 seconds with google.

You can look for yourself.

Searches to try;

high tech scrap recycling problems
battery recycling problems
lead recycling in the third world

 

[Crazycowbob]

the batteries are very large deep cycle lead acid.
in about 20 years, when i have to think of replacing them, they will be recycled appropriately. i am not new to this. i have lived with soalr power and batteries for over 20 years.
i invert the power for house use.

the panels have a tracking device that follows the sun.
i adjust the angle vertically every month as the sun raises and lowers.

How much did your system cost? And how much land do you have it on?

 

[Puppycow]

1. Wall Street will not finance new nuclear plants without a 100% taxpayer loan guarantee.

It's the Shoreham Syndrome, Not the China Syndrome, That Discourages Wall St. From Nuclear Energy

The only real risk that has kept many financial sources away from loaning money to nuclear plants is one that Wasserman himself helped to add to the mix - the "Shoreham syndrome". That is my own name for the risk that a nuclear plant can be completely built and licensed - at the cost of several billion dollars - and then prevented from operating and earning revenue by the political act of a hack who owes his career to the fossil fuel companies who supported his campaign.

The political risk is the highest risk in investing in nuclear power. Most costs are up-front, and it takes a long time to recover the investment.

 

[bikerdruid]

How much did your system cost? And how much land do you have it on?

i paid about 5000 dollars, and can produce about 30 amps at 12 volts (maximum)

we have about 160 acres.