Management of disused lead-acid batteries in the context of the eco-balance analysis

The article describes the results of the eco-balance analysis of the disused lead-acid batteries recycling technology. The analysis will be made using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The analysis was developed using the SimaPro7.3.3. software. The life cycle assessment (LCA) was made using Ecological Scarcity and IMPACT2002 + methods. The results are shown as environmental points [Pt], which reflect the potential level of environmental burdens exerted by the analysed object. The results are presented in the environmental categories, which are grouped in the impact categories. For the Ecological Scarcity method, these are emission into air, water, soil, energy, and natural resources and deposited waste. For the IMPACT2002 + method: human health, climate changes, ecosystem quality and resources consumption. The boundaries of the system under investigation include the processes of mechanical battery scrap processing, desulfurization and crystallization processes (PI), the melting processes to obtain crude lead and refining processes (PII and PIII). As the functional unit, there was accepted 1 Mg of the processed battery scrap. Particular attention was paid to the airborne emission, which adversely affect human health and climate change. The technology for which the tests were conducted offers the possibility to recover other elements, for example, secondary lead, polypropylene and sulfuric acid as crystalline sodium sulphate.