He also visited traditional potters in their studio, many of whom were shocked when they linked the glaze to high blood lead levels. However, even when potters start using lead-free glazes, they sometimes mix in lead oxide for an authentic texture, so making sure to switch to non-toxic alternatives goes a long way.
“We need to act,” Estrada explained. “With more budget and federal support, change can happen faster.”
ingot
Toxic chemicals pose different risks to people and the planet at the manufacturing stage, during use and after disposal. Excessive consumption in high-income countries can cause pollution problems elsewhere in the supply chain, but people working in chemical manufacturing, mining or informal recycling may use these industries as their only source of income.
In general, smaller low-income countries are far worse off than high-income countries, with the highest mortality rates from chemical pollution due to poor sanitation and indoor air pollution in places like Chad, Central Africa, North Korea, Niger and Madagascar , according to the Global Alliance for Health and Pollution.
In India, many rely on unregulated or informal recycling of lead-acid car batteries as their main source of income. Recycled batteries are cheaper than brand new ones and can be used to power anything from solar energy storage to rickshaws, but the process of producing them is dangerous to the people involved and the environment around them.
More than 80% of the lead used today is in lead-acid batteries. Most of these batteries are manufactured and sold in low- and middle-income countries, according to the International Lead Association. Refined lead is used to recycle batteries as well as paint, ammunition and cables.
Outside of the realm of formal recycling operations, battery recycling is incredibly toxic and very practical. Cut the lead-acid battery open with an axe, pour the electrolyte containing sulfuric acid and some lead on the ground, then smelt the remaining lead in a large open fire and melt it into ingots.
taxi
During this heating process, hot toxic fumes escape. Lead-contaminated sewage ends up in soil, crops and water systems, and lead dust spreads in the air, often near densely populated residential areas. As a result, blood lead levels are particularly high among frontline recovery workers.
The negative effects of exporting fruits, vegetables and spices grown on contaminated land eventually spread around the world. So we can’t ignore it. More responsible battery recycling will benefit everyone, everywhere.
“India stands out in the area of lead contamination,” explains Karti Sandilya, a senior consultant at Pure Earth, whose mission is to reduce lead poisoning at the source and remediate contaminated sites. “In terms of the scale and impact of contamination, nothing compares to lead – the blood lead levels in children here are unimaginable. If we can stop the lead poisoning problem, we will reap huge gains.”
While remediation of lead contamination is a critical step, a transformation of the system is also underway. As it stands, informal recyclers in India don’t have to pay taxes, so when end-of-life car batteries are auctioned off, they can significantly undercut the price of formal recyclers.
Now Sandilya is working with the Indian government and the Material Recycling Association of India to exempt recyclable materials from this tax and create a more level playing field so that all batteries are sent to regular recycling businesses to stop lead poisoning at the source.
Consumption
Sandilya hopes that once the system changes, informal recyclers will be more motivated to look for safer options for making a living. Because the formal recycling business will expand and income tax revenue will increase, the government will not lose money in the long run. It’s not a quick process, but Sandilya is optimistic: “If we can succeed here, the solution can be replicated elsewhere in the world.”
A cleanup will only really happen if the proper laws are enforced, but remediation alone is never the answer.
As the climate crisis intensifies and floods, hurricanes and wildfires become more frequent, so does the risk of toxic chemicals spilling from designated decontamination sites into surrounding residential communities.
Pollution stops when we turn off the tap. Innovation is the key to that. Phasing out chemicals of concern is the way forward. Now is the time to correct this balance, consider whether our use of certain products is necessary, and reduce our chemical consumption accordingly, while taking a global view of the state of pollution.
this author
Anna Turns, an environmental reporter, is also Non-Toxic: Simple and Sustainable Ways to Reduce Chemical Pollution (Michael O’Mara, 2022).
she discusses her book Detox free April 20 at 7pm, with Revival reading club.
