Hybrid cars--really?

Hey Mr. Green,
I think you are an idiot for recommending hybrid or electric cars. Have you ever seen the inside of car-battery factories? Have you seen the health problems that their workers face? Have you seen the impact of the waste?
--Dr. Pollution in Manasquan, New Jersey

Such heartfelt, warm reader reactions are welcome. Frankly, I'm grateful to have never entered a battery factory, especially one that's a hypertoxic sweatshop in a developing country.

Any type of battery can be treacherous if recklessly produced or poorly recycled. Lead is the major ingredient in batteries for ordinary cars, nickel for hybrids, and lithium for plug-ins. Lead is by far the most toxic, nickel less so, and lithium the least, but the nickel and lithium batteries do contain some toxic metals, including cobalt and manganese.

With nearly a 90 percent recycling rate, lead batteries ought to be a success story. But lead is still released by many facilities that handle it, though such operations must upgrade to comply with new EPA air standards. The insides of U.S. lead-battery factories, however, remain regulated by 33-year-old Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, which allow workers to be exposed to lead levels that some consider unsafe.

Some used lead batteries aren't recycled domestically but exported to developing nations that have lax safety standards. Millions of batteries are now made in these countries, which puts their workers in grave danger. In China, for instance, battery-plant workers and children nearby have experienced episodes of lead poisoning. Typically, lead-battery processors in developing countries don't comply with the equivalent of U.S. standards.

Regardless of battery type, we should tighten regulations on lead batteries and stop exporting used ones to nations with weak safety rules. While a perfect vehicle-power solution eludes us, when you compare the damage done by hybrid and EV batteries with that done by burning fossil fuel, the trade-off seems worth it to me. And thus I'll continue to favor hybrids and EVs. I won't, however, debate the question of my idiocy. Only an idiot would do that.

Comments

[Corvette Seats]

Electric cars could be an aid for the expensive car fuels nowadays. Yet they still discussing about this topic. There are many things that should implement and recognize before making any decisions about this matter.

[Dave Brook]

Mr Green, you are too kind to respomd to someone who calls you an idiot. Your response was good. I hope the writer has visited the factory where his shoes, shirt and TV set came from.

[GUCCI sale]

...........I really like your articles.expecting for your next writing.

[DevilBiss Pressure Washer]

It's hard to see what someone's saying when all you can hear is the anger and ego in their words. You did a good job though, so much hate in that message, ugh.

[Hannah Greig]

This is a very good article thank you

[chemind]

yes, Lead is very toxic material instead using these type of batteries, it is better to move towards fuel cell and do some research on it.
i think it will show some good result for hybrid cars

[Brian Parker]

Mr Green, I do agree with your statement that "when you compare the damage done by hybrid and EV batteries with that done by burning fossil fuel, the trade-off seems worth it to me".
Electric Vehicles and Hybrid are much cleaner according to studies, compared with their gasoline or diesel counterparts.
Lead is used widely across many industries, with electronic manufacturing being one of the key consumers of Lead. Lead exists in all kind of electronic devices that we're using today, though manufacturers of electronic components are moving towards "lead-free" processes. Batteries is just 1 category of products with Lead.

Cheers,
Brian

Car Accidents Articles

[Clint Rowley]

I think either side is definitely worth debating as they both have their benefits. Great article though, I appreciate the information.

[Monster High Dolls]

era of electric cars will come... and I think it will be a great help in stoping polution by replacing fuel powered vehicle.

[Jerry967]

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[Clint Rowley]

I think there is a lot less to worry about with the current hybrid vehicles. It's an interesting debate though.

[ecomfort]

Every Batteries has its negative effect. Even though its a hybrid but still the amount of Poison that can be found in the battery is toxic. We should push more sustainable way of building what car should be healthy to our health and the environment

[chemind]

May this problem can solved in near future when the hybrid cars engines can run by a fuel cells which uses Hydrogen which inturn come from water source, may be this is a coslty enough now, but near future this will be one of the path to choose to prevent pollution caused by toxic chemicals