Survey Recognizes Need to Recycle Car Batteries

The Society of Environmental Journalists’ recently released the results of its first national survey on the recycling habits and beliefs of U.S. adults. The survey, which was conducted online on its behalf by Harris Interactive from October 10-12, 2011, surveyed 2,050 U.S. adults on their views and opinions on the recycling of car batteries and other electronic waste in the form of cell phones, televisions, and computers.

The survey showed that by a margin of three to one, American adults recognize the need to recycle a car battery more than any other form of e-waste. The survey also showed overwhelming strength for the idea that car batteries purchased for use in government vehicles with taxpayer money should be recycled domestically instead of sent to foreign recyclers. Some survey highlights:

• Ninety-five percent believe recycling car batteries is an important way to protect the environment from potentially hazardous materials like lead and battery acid.
• Eighty two percent agree the car battery recycling industry provides good jobs for American workers.
• Ninety percent believe it makes more sense to recycle batteries domestically where stricter regulations better protect workers and the environment.
• Ninety-three percent of U.S. adults believe car batteries purchased for use in government vehicles with taxpayer money should be recycled domestically instead of sent to foreign recyclers.

“When 93 percent of the population states batteries purchased by federal, state, and local governments should be recycled domestically, we believe government should listen,” said Diane L. Cullo, Director of SLAB Watchdog. “People understand keeping the batteries here will protect domestic jobs and communities while sending the batteries to foreign facilities has the potential to cause environmental catastrophe. With unemployment near nine percent taxpayer purchased batteries should not be supporting jobs in foreign countries.”

SLAB Watchdog commissioned the survey to determine consumer views after a report released in June 2011 by OK International indicated that in 2010 more than half a billion pounds of spent lead acid batteries were shipped from the United States to substandard recycling facilities in Mexico. The diversion of batteries from U.S. recyclers to those in developing countries grew by 112 percent from 2009 – 2010.

“Limiting SLAB exportation can be achieved easily if governments at all levels make a commitment to recycling their SLABs in the United States,” noted Cullo. “Not only do the batteries from their fleets represent a sizeable number, but our poll showed that 13 percent of people who purchased a new battery dropped their old one off at a municipal recycling center, giving local authorities yet another opportunity to direct old batteries to a U.S. recycling facility.”

Currently the United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) are considering new regulations to prevent the exportation of e-waste generated by government sources. According to the OK International report, twice as much lead is exported from the U.S. in SLABs than is exported in all electronic waste. “If EPA and GSA ignore SLABs in developing their e-waste regulations, they will have left a gaping hole in their efforts to protect the workers, communities, and environments of developing countries from the poisons of substandard recycling,” concluded Diane Cullo.

Unknown to most government entities and operators of large vehicle fleets like UPS and FEDEX is that their dead batteries are often collected by organizations that ship the SLABs to Mexico where they are recycled in antiquated smelters. Similarly many gas stations, car repair centers and service organizations like AAA often sell the used batteries they collect to brokers and dealers who arrange for the batteries to be shipped to Mexico in order to maximize profits.

According to the SLAB Watchdog survey, eighty-three percent of U.S. adults agree recycling a used car battery is the responsibility of the service center where they purchased the new battery. “We understand people have never stopped to think about what happens to their old car battery after it is replaced,” said SLAB Watchdog’s Cullo. “But the large service centers think about it and given the volume of batteries they handle, not to mention their corporate commitments to sustainability, they must demand that the batteries they collect are handled in a manner that supports domestic jobs and protects workers, communities and the environment.”

Additional results from the SLAB Watchdog’s survey:

• Ninety percent of U.S. adults felt it was important to recycle a car battery, cell phone, computer, television or something else after use.
  • The belief in the need to recycle a car battery after use (56%) was three times greater than that of computers (18%), which was the second highest item.
• Eighty-one percent of U.S. adults had purchased a new computer, cell phone, television, or car battery in the last three years to replace an older product:
  • Cell phone: 54%
  • Computer: 38%
  • Car Battery: 34%
  • Television: 34%
• Of those who purchased a new car battery in the last three years to replace an older product:
  • Eighty percent left the old battery where they purchased it to recycle or otherwise dispose of:
  • Thirteen percent dropped the battery off at a municipal recycling center;
  • One percent admitted to throwing the old battery in the trash.
• Eighty-three percent of U.S. adults agree recycling a used car battery is the responsibility of the service center where new batteries are purchased
• Recycling rates for other forms of e-waste among those who purchased a new product in the last three years to replace an older product:
  • Cell phone: 12% left at the store/9% dropped off at a recycling center. 3% were thrown in the trash.
  • Computer: 6% left at the store/18% dropped off at a recycling center. 4% were thrown in the trash.
  • Television: 7% left at the store/20% dropped off at a recycling center. 6% were thrown in the trash

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of SLAB Watchdog Poll from October 10-12, 2011 among 2,050 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Diane Cullo at (703) 244-5891.