"Green" Batteries
 

I'm just wondering if there is a such thing as an environmentally friendly battery. We all know lead-acid batteries are pretty horrific environmentally speaking, but what about lithium or others?

I'm just wondering about cleanliness, regardless of production capabilities or storage capacities.

Thanks!

As a given you don't want to eat any battery chemistry, but LiFePO4 is the closest replacement for Lead acid. Lead acid isn't too problematic provided the battery is recycled.

All batteries and metals get recycled, at least we hope none are left in landfills. All modern batteries are toxic to the environment. The greenest battery though least efficient is a potato.

So you're saying there is no such thing as a man made non-toxic battery, only varying amounts of toxicity in different battery types?

I didn't even think about that! (Although not where my mindset was, so of course I wouldn't) Brings me back to my elementary school days! I could just imagine, probably would smell like those cars that use used french fry oil! :)

At least the Lead-acid batteries are still easier to recycle than newer Lithium-based ones.

Lead acid is cheap, fairly efficient, plentiful, and non-toxic as long as you don't spill the acid or toss the battery.

Other than that, the only 'green' battery we'll likely ever see is a graphene-based cell... barring that, fusion reactor - pocket edition.

The lead acid battery is the most recycled thing in north America.

I don't understand your comment.

My lead acid batteries are made out of recycled lead and recycled acid and the cases are recycled plastic, as is the case with nearly everyone's lead acid batteries, they are also recycled in some amazing facilities that were built with the condition that the ground and water be tested for contamination on a regular bases along with free heavy metal testing for anyone living near by.

Find me any other industry that is that is less "environmentally horrific", I'd rather live next to a battery factory then pretty much any other industry.

Batteries made out of Potatoes on the other hand are pretty nasty, you are taking a high energy food and sticking a big chunk of copper and chunk of zinc in it, both of those metals are devastating to the environment to mine and refine and often end up in the trash instead of being recycled, the power output from the potato is also extremely low.

96% of lead acid batteries are recycled.

Alot of car companies are now using nickel-metal hydrate. Not bad stuff in comparison to previously used product.

One source I found says as low as 96% of lead acid batteries are recycled and I've seen figures that say as much as 99.2% are recycled, I know I have a bunch of old ones hanging around that could be recycled but have not been yet so those batteries fall in that to that area of 0.8 to 4% of batteries that are not recycled because some of them are 30+ years old, but I also save my old golf cart batteries partly because they are only worth $12 to $16 each in lead scrap, but they are worth $20 in core charge if I buy a new battery, what freaks people out is that "some stores may charge to dispose of lead acid batteries" really??? do they charge you as well to recycle your aluminum cans?