Introduction
For decades, the oil and gas industry has been using long-life lithium batteries, which are serve as power sources for many oil and gas related applications, e.g., oilfield downhole tools are operated with lithium batteries while used among different segments, such as drilling, measurement, testing, wireline and well intervention.Furthermore, Lithium batteries are found in a variety of popular electronic items, including cameras, laptop computers, mobile, telephones, UPS and control systems
Depleted lithium batteries and devices containing these batteries should not go in household garbage or recycling bins, They can cause harm to human health or the environment, also cause fires during transport or at landfills and recyclers If not properly managed at the end of their useful life.
There is no specific regulations for management of such batteries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the same with Federal RCRA regulations in USA. However, but lithium batteries may exhibit one or more of following characteristics as hazardous waste, including ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity and/or toxicity.
Therefore, the generator and the operator must ensure that they strict apply the most stringent environmental regulations in management such material when considering the waste lithium batteries transportation and disposal.
How Should I Handle And Dispose Of Depleted Lithium Batteries?
Today, SMIW employs physical and Encapsulation methods to treat and handle the Depleted Lithium Batteries once used primarily in industrial and military applications.
Storage Requirements
These batteries require some care to ensure proper and safe storage. The following precautions should be adopted for the storage of used lithium batteries. Today, SMIW employs physical and Encapsulation methods to treat and handle the Depleted Lithium Batteries once used primarily in industrial and military applications.
- Batteries require cool, well ventilated, dry isolated storage areas, away from combustible materials Temperatures should not exceed 130o F.
- Protect batteries against being damaged, crushed, punctured, or short-circuited.
- Do not smoke or eat in battery storage areas.
- Cells should be stored in their original containers.
Disposal Of Waste Lithium Batteries
Depleted Lithium Batteries are disposed in Class I landfill facility owned by SMIW after macro-encapsulation process.
Macro-encapsulation is the process of placing hazardous waste in a special containment unit, made to resist contamination and leaching.
The Waste Lithium batteries are first placed inside steel containers which are pre-lined with HDPE sheet/water-proof material. A pozzolanic, free flowing solid material such as sand or cement is then added along with special material (to absorb moisture) in each container. The HDPE is then welded to form a closed impermeable capsule inside the containers to have sealing of the material inside.
The lid is then sealed, creating impermeable barrier between the waste debris and the outside environment. Finally, the containers are disposed at SMIW’s Class I landfill facility.