Solar energy projects in Ghana; How to handle lead acid
batteries after their useful life?
Partner in
Development
Waste equals value
Funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS)
in the context of the SESA program (Sustainable Energy Services or Africa),
a Private-Public partnership between Philips and the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs
Schipluiden,
October 30, 2009
Partner in Development
Waste equals value
Philips de Blotestraat 5
2636 GS Schipluiden
telefoon: 06-15545369
e-mail: sophievandenberg@kabelfoon.net
website: www.partnerindevelopment.nl
Content
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 6
Summary ............................................................................................................................ 7
1 Introduction ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2 Lead acid batteries .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
INTRODUCTION...................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS............................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
RECYCLING........................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT ..................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
COLLECTION AND RECYCLING OF USED LEAD ACID BATTERIES IN THE NETHERLANDSERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
3 Current situation of handling used lead acid batteries in GhanaError! Bookmark not defin
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
INTRODUCTION...................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
AMOUNT OF USED LEAD ACID BATTERIES GENERATED IN GHANA ....... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF USED LEAD ACID BATTERIES ............. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
RECYCLING OF USED LEAD ACID BATTERIES .................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
3.4.1 Recycling factories ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.4.2 Backyard smelter ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.4.3 Repair and reconditioning practices ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.5 EXPORT ............................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
3.6 PUBLIC AWARENESS ................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
4 Legislation ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
INTRODUCTION...................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
UNITED NATIONS ................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
EUROPEAN UNION.................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
THE NETHERLANDS ................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
AFRICA ................................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
GHANA ................................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
5 Constraints and opportunities ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
5.2 CONSTRAINTS ....................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
5.3 OPPORTUNITIES..................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
6 Strategy for an environmentally safe route in collection and recyclingError! Bookmark n
Annex 1: Consulted persons, organisations and websites
Annex 2: Itinerary of visit to Ghana
Annex 3: Minutes of meeting with Stakeholders in Ghana
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Acknowledgements
Partner in Development would like to thank the following organisations and companies for their
input and support during this research study:
Blacksmith Institute
DENG Limited
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS)
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ghana
EXOCAR
Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Ghana Customs, Excise & Preventive Service (CEPS)
Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (GSES) Ghana
International Lead Management Center (ILMC)
Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Ghana
Pagrik Ghana Limited (Gravita Group)
Philips Lighting
TNO
VROM
Special thanks to Brian Wilson from the ILMC for his very valuable advice and information during the
study.
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Summary
Background
Worldwide approximately 2 billion people have no access to electricity. For them
night time means either darkness or the flickering light of a kerosene lamp.
Solutions can be offered by the use of electricity derived from solar energy. The
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is involved in various programmes, one of them
with Philips, developing solar applications for underserved people in sub-Saharan
Africa with the ambition to reach 10 million people by 2015.
In these solar energy projects, lead acid batteries are used to store energy and the
question has risen how to handle these batteries after their useful life. Lead acid
batteries contain sulfuric acid and large amounts of lead. The acid is extremely
corrosive and is also a good carrier for soluble lead and lead particulate. Lead is a
highly toxic metal that produces a range of adverse health effects particularly in
young children. Used lead acid batteries are regarded as hazardous waste and
should be collected and recycled in an environmentally sound way.
Ghana is one of the countries where pilot projects with solar applications are taking
place. There is room for improvement for the recycling of used lead acid batteries
as compared to the current informal system in Ghana where no guarantee can be
given for safe treatment. Nowadays companies and organisations are dealing more
and more with integrated chain management with the goal to reduce the
environmental load over the whole chain, also in the waste phase. The Dutch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports this by stimulating the establishment of a sound
collection and treatment system of used lead acid batteries in Ghana but in a
commercially viable and sustainable manner.
A research study was carried out to explore the possibilities for setting up a strategy
for a sound collection and recycling system of used lead acid batteries in Ghana
which can be used by solar energy projects. A desk top study, interviews with
relevant organisations and a visit to Ghana took place. In Ghana a stakeholder
meeting was organized.
Local situation
The study revealed that trading and recycling of used lead acid batteries has
become a thriving business in Ghana. Due to the high value of lead, many people are
earning an income from trading the batteries and selling them to recycling plants in
the port city Tema or to exporting companies. It is doubtful that any battery is
dumped as they are collected from even the most remote parts of Ghana.
A major and quite serious concern is the wide scale practice of draining batteries
prior to transport and/or processing. Another concern deals with the recycling and
reconditioning practices, not paying sufficient attention to health, safety and the
environment. A third concern deals with substantial amounts of used batteries
exported from Ghana overseas, although international legislation and the Basel
Convention places restrictions on the movement of hazardous waste.
The value of lead is high which makes recycling of used lead acid batteries a viable
operation, but it also means that many parties want to make a quick profit without
concern for the health of their personnel or the environment.
Solar projects do not generate sufficient used lead acid batteries to set up a viable
collection and recycling route on its own, solutions always have to be combined
with the system of used automotive batteries . The research study showed that a
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substantial number of used lead acid batteries reaches the port city of Tema which
creates opportunities to set up a viable system in which part of the profits are
dedicated to pay for the costs of environmental measures and personal protective
equipment for the work force.
Strategy
Although the private sector is very much interested in setting up a safe recycling
route in Ghana, the Ghanaian government should facilitate the transfer of the
informal sector to a sustainable collection and recycling system. The proposed
strategy comprises of five key elements:
1. Setting up a collection infrastructure
The only way to implement a successful recycling programme for lead acid batteries
is to install an appropriate and efficient lead acid battery collection infrastructure.
The most environmentally friendly procedure for collecting used lead acid batteries
is through the system of distribution and collection of manufacturers, retailers,
wholesalers, service stations and other retailing outlets. Provide new batteries for
old and retain the used ones to be sent to licensed recycling plants. Such a scheme
is sustainable because it is based on the economic value of the lead content of the
used lead acid batteries.
2. Upgrading the existing recycling factory
Pagrik Ghana is the major recycling facility in Tema and has shown great interest in
upgrading its plant into an environmentally sound facility complying with
international guidelines. For this purpose an assessment will be undertaken in the
beginning of 2010 for the determination of compliance with the Basel Technical
Guidelines together with the ILMC and the ILA, representing the private sector of
the lead industry.
3. Providing the legislative framework
Although the private sector is very interested to solve environmental problems, the
Ghanaian government should facilitate this process with the necessary legislative
framework, controls and monitoring. Especially illegal export must cease when an
environmentally sound recycling facility is available in the country itself.
4. Raising public awareness
Public awareness and support is vital to the success of any environmentally sound
collection and recycling scheme for used batteries. A public education programme
must be developed targeting schools, garages, repair shops and those communities
known to engage in illicit reconditioning and smelting of used batteries. The
education programme should not only warn of the health and environmental risks
posed by inadequate recovery, but provide details on how to recover used batteries
in an environmentally sound manner through the established collection centers.
Emphasis must be given on collecting batteries with the acid inside.
5. Consolidating the informal sector
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Collecting and trading used lead acid batteries provides an (additional) income to
thousands of people in Ghana and alternative incomes have to be found for these
people when formalizing this sector. It is suggested that ways are found to
encourage the informal sector to become involved in legal activities whereby the
used batteries they collect would be sent to a licensed recycler for recovery.
Furthermore, the informal sector should be encouraged and trained where necessary
to provide battery testing, recharging and servicing as a means to maintain an
income.
The way forward
To be able to implement this strategy, close cooperation between the private
sector, the Ghanaian government and interested parties such as the Basel
Secretariat and “Lighting Africa” will be sought to set up a follow up project to
develop a secure recovery procedure for used lead acid batteries in Ghana.
In the meanwhile solar projects can start storing their used batteries until Pagrik
Ghana has upgraded its facility. Solar projects can directly deal with Pagrik Ghana in
the future for treatment of their used lead acid batteries. Pagrik Ghana can
anticipate on these developments by setting up its own collection system in which
batteries are picked up with the acid inside.
The Ghanaian Government should focus on the control of illegal export to make sure
that recycling in the country itself can be a viable undertaking. Lighting Africa could
play a major role in raising awareness about the hazards of used lead acid batteries.
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