http://www.tubitak.gov.tr/tr/haber/tubitak-mam-atik-pilleri-ekonomiye-kazandiracak

With the integrated facility established by TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) within the scope of the "Disposal of Waste Batteries and Development of Recovery Technologies Project", it is expected to prevent the damage of waste batteries to the environment and human health, as well as to provide economic gain. The manufacturing and assembly of the facility, where precious metals will be recovered from zinc carbon, alkaline and nickel cadmium batteries, has been completed. Within the scope of the project, it is planned to add value to our economy by recovering zinc carbon, alkaline and nickel cadmium batteries, which constitute approximately 90 percent of waste batteries. The know-how to be gained from the project is expected to provide added value for different recovery processes.

TÜBİTAK MAM Vice President of Strategy and Technology Development Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Makaracı said that the increasing use of batteries poses a potential danger to human health and environmental pollution. Stating that the materials used to make batteries contain heavy metals that are dangerous both directly for human health and for the environment, Makaracı said that since primary sources cannot be produced in Turkey, a large part of the metal needs of the industry is imported and a very small part is recovered from secondary sources.

Emphasizing the importance of protecting the environment as well as providing the metals needed by the industry at low prices, Makaracı said: "For this reason, TÜBİTAK-MAM is considering initiating a project on battery recovery. The aim of the project is to develop recovery processes and thus ensure the disposal and recovery of batteries, which will pose a great threat to environmental health in the future."

"We Present a New Technology to the World"

Explaining that it is also aimed to produce zinc, manganese, cadmium and nickel metals, sulfate salts and metallic powders as a result of the processing of batteries in the pilot plant, Makaracı gave the following information

"The partner organization of our project is the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Our project is important as it is the first integrated facility in the world where both separation, crushing and recovery are carried out. We have introduced a new technology to the world. There is no other such facility in Turkey. Batteries collected in Turkey are buried in the ground or stored in separate places. By establishing this facility, we set out to minimize the effects on the environment and human health and to bring them to Turkey and the world through recycling. In European countries, this is done systematically, but not in an integrated manner. Establishing the first such facility in the world in Turkey is an achievement for our country."

"Even One Battery Significantly Damages the Soil"

Murat Ilgar, General Manager of Exitcom Recycling, which will operate the facility, said that the collection rate of batteries has gradually increased with the increase in waste awareness, but this is not at the desired level. Explaining that even one battery causes significant damage to the soil, Ilgar said that waste batteries are buried in hazardous waste sites in Turkey.

Ilgar pointed out that about 100 percent of waste batteries in Germany are recycled and recycled into the economy and said, "The capacity of our facility is more than the rate of waste batteries collected in Turkey, it can be further developed. Battery and recycling have a serious contribution to the environment, human health and the economy. The facility is finished and trial studies are being carried out."