Improving battery recycling in the field

20/04/2016

The last meeting of the Humanitarian Environment Network, on the use of solar energy in humanitarian programmes, highlighted the central problem of recycling batteries in the field.

These have a limited lifespan of between 5 and 10 years depending on how well they are maintained, which raises the question of recycling this type of hazardous waste. There are currently very few recycling businesses, though the market is growing in a certain number of countries. Each NGO has its own contacts, but this information has never been pooled. This is the subject of a current study, coordinated by Groupe URD, which will aim to share this information in a regularly updated data base.

The aim is to identify existing recycling businesses and provide information about them (type of waste, how waste is recycled, how they are organized, etc.), taking into account other types of hazardous waste. The countries currently included in the study are the main countries where members are operational in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

For more information, contact Samantha Brangeon.