{"id":18792,"date":"2018-04-10T14:09:21","date_gmt":"2018-04-10T18:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/staging\/battery-recycling-embedded-batteries\/"},"modified":"2023-09-06T16:07:25","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T20:07:25","slug":"battery-recycling-embedded-batteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/en_CA\/blog\/battery-recycling-embedded-batteries\/","title":{"rendered":"Battery Recycling: The Difficulties of Recycling Devices with Embedded Batteries"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a possibility that the device on which you are reading this article will burst into flames before you finish. No, this is not the latest edition of Mission Impossible; it\u2019s actually a rather mundane piece on the serious topic of batteries safety and the challenges of properly recycling<\/a> them.<\/p>\n

Should you choose to accept, back to our story: You are likely reading this article on a laptop, cell phone or tablet that each contains one (or more) batteries.<\/p>\n

Batteries have the potential to pose serious risks or environmental impacts if it is not handled properly. They are small, are glued in place, hard to access. They often still contain a charge that makes removing them an occupational hazard and they are in more and more items every day. Amplifying the hazard is the manufacturing trend to include multiple batteries in more and more devices.<\/p>\n

Embedded batteries<\/a> are not new to the electronics industry but they are being\u00a0used more frequently<\/a> as consumers demand ever-smaller devices with greater functionality. The move to a world where seemingly everything is wireless compounds the problem.<\/p>\n

Batteries cannot be shredded and if they are, explosions and fire is the likely outcome. So, recyclers are investing more time than ever before liberating batteries from devices that have less precious metal than ever before and are lighter overall. When one is paid by the pound, this is not a good model for running a sustainable business.<\/p>\n

If these batteries are so dangerous, what is driving manufacturers to install them in an increasing number of items?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not that batteries should be considered dangerous \u2013 as that\u2019s clearly not the case. How many of us have witnessed a battery fire firsthand? And they serve a very useful purpose \u2013 keeping us connected no matter where we are.<\/p>\n

Embedding them within the device also has benefits:<\/p>\n