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The Industrial Ecology of Lead and Electric Vehicles

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  • Robert Socolow
  • Valerie Thomas

Abstract

The lead battery has the potential to become one of the first examples of a hazardous product managed in an environmentally acceptable fashion. The tools of industrial ecology are helpful in identifying the key criteria that an ideal lead‐battery recycling system must meet maximal recovery of batteries after use, minimal export of used batteries to countries where environmental controls are weak, minimal impact on the health of communities near lead‐processing facilities, and maximal worker protection from lead exposure in these facilities. A well‐known risk analysis of electric vehicles is misguided, because it treats lead batteries and lead additives in gasoline on the same footing and implies that the lead battery should be abandoned. The use of lead additives in gasoline is a dissipative use where emissions cannot be confined: the goal of management should be and has been to phase out this use. The use of lead in batteries is a recyclable use, because the lead remains confined during cycles of discharge and recharge. Here, the goal should be clean recycling. The likelihood that the lead battery will provide peaking power for several kinds of hybrid vehicles‐a role only recently identified increases the importance of understanding the levels of performance achieved and achievable in battery recycling. A management system closely approaching clean recycling should be achievable.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Socolow & Valerie Thomas, 1997. "The Industrial Ecology of Lead and Electric Vehicles," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 1(1), pages 13-36, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:1:y:1997:i:1:p:13-36
    DOI: 10.1162/jiec.1997.1.1.13
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Levine, R.J. & Moore, R.M. & McLaren, G.D. & Barthel, W.F. & Landrigan, P.J., 1976. "Occupational lead poisoning, animal deaths, and environmental contamination at a scrap smelter," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 66(6), pages 548-552.
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    Cited by:

    1. Max Åhman & Lars J. Nilsson & Bengt Johansson, 2001. "Cars and fuels for tomorrow: a comparative assessment," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 25(2), pages 109-120, May.
    2. Daniel, Stavros E. & Pappis, Costas P., 2008. "Application of LCIA and comparison of different EOL scenarios: The case of used lead-acid batteries," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(6), pages 883-895.
    3. Mao, J.S. & Dong, Jaimee & Graedel, T.E., 2008. "The multilevel cycle of anthropogenic lead," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(8), pages 1050-1057.
    4. Craig, Paul P., 2001. "Energy limits on recycling," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 373-384, March.

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