Indonesia – battery recycling

More than 50 million of primary types of batteries were produced in Indonesia annually. Primary types of batteries are commonly used for many appliances and are still increasing in Indonesia. Secondary batteries are also rising due to the increase usage of cell phone, laptop, and other portable devices. With the possibility of mounting of used batteries in solid waste stream, there is no specific policy regulates the battery waste collection and recycling in Indonesia.



There is one regulation in relation to batteries waste, and is still integrated into Regulation of Indonesian Government No. 74/2001 on hazardous and toxic substances management. It looks like that the issue of batteries waste has not been a concern among the relevant institutional to be taken care or managed separately from the municipal waste due to its hazard components. It is tracked that automotive (lead-acid) batteries are considered profitable enough and had already been gathered and recycled through the repair-shop, and probably sold to the scrapbuyers or lead-acid batteries manufactures.



Other problems arise from this condition due to the improper recycling process done by the small-scale repair-shop that causing severe water pollution to the surrounding during the dismantling and washing out the batteries. A life cycle assessment carried out by British Government confirmed that recycling the batteries gives an environmental benefit, especially when using the existing material recovery technologies as in steel industry.



In addition, besides its environmental benefit, waste batteries recycling established in India and Bangladesh could also develop new employment possibility, especially for the small-scale enterprises. Thus, taking examples from many countries‘‘ experience in managing their batteries waste, this research will carry out the opportunity to implement batteries waste management in Indonesia, in which can function both for protecting the environment and creating safe employment in small-scale enterprises.