Demand for and use of electric battery power is increasing with climate change and reliance on technology. Batteries are made of increasingly rare metals that generate pollution when we mine them. But they also create environmental and safety hazards, such as groundwater pollution and chemical fires, when disposed of incorrectly.
That reality is fostering tension in Washington, where recycling batteries is a complicated and often inconvenient process that puts the onus on consumers and local governments. With battery demand showing no signs of slowing, residents and their government representatives want to shift the cost of reducing environmental impact across the battery lifecycle onto the people who make batteries. It has been about
→ Continue reading at Crosscut
