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Based upon what went on with Auto Tires in the US 30+ years ago, they will build up in many people's yards (especially in low populated areas) for decades until
by jmclnx 4y ago
Based upon what went on with Auto Tires in the US 30+ years ago, they will build up in many people's yards (especially in low populated areas) for decades until it becomes a kind of minor super-fund site.
Unless disposing of batteries can seem "free" and very easy, I expect that to happen. Somewhat similar to used auto oil. I suspect in various places used oil is either burned for heat or dumped in an undeveloped area.
- lambdasquirrel 4y agoIt might be a bit overblown. People will definitely replace their cell-phone batteries by the time they get down to 50-60%. Car batteries would probably be not so great by the time you're down to 75%. Realistic real world mileage on a typical 220 mile battery, at 75% capacity, is probably more like 110 miles. The catch is that for grid storage, capacity along these lines doesn't matter to the same extent, as much as cost and retention. As long as we have cheap wind and solar, and they are able to manage fire risk, those batteries would just be sitting around.
- fartcannon 4y agoAs long as we don't let the Apple way overtake cars. I'm afraid that I think it's already happening.
- mlindner 4y agoTires aren't an expensive material and they don't melt, they burn, almost impossible to easily recycle.
- kevin_thibedeau 4y agoThey are routinely recycled by shredding them and mixing the crumbs into products that don't need a uniform composition.
- mlindner 4y agoI'd call that reused rather than recycled personally. If it can't be used a feed material to produce the thing that it itself is made of, then it hasn't really been recycled.
- chriscappuccio 4y agoThey are very easy to recycle back into oil with a pyrolysis process
- hedora 4y agoYeah, when my last battery pack expired, the mechanic stuck all 2000 lbs of it in the trunk, and I tossed it behind the garden shed when I got home, next to my collextion anvils, wrecking balls and granite cornerstones. /s
- throwawayboise 4y agoUsed oil is very much burned for heat. Common for shops in areas that need heat in the winter to have a "waste oil heater" instead of using utility gas or electricity for heat. https://www.energylogic.com/waste-oil-heaters/ https://www.energylogic.com/waste-oil-heaters/