RIP battery. You could live longer.

Now, I am not an expert on this particular subject, but…

In this fast-paced world where…. No, I am not starting my writing like this, but thank you for being annoyed. :)

Last week I wrote a thing or two about batteries, different types, chemistry, field of application, etc.

Today, I want to write about batteries again, but from a little bit different angle. Their impact on everything. Our lives, health, environment, fun, efficiency, you name it… there is nothing without the influence of batteries.

But seriously, while we push technology development like a Ferrari on the picturesque Amalfi Coast (You only live once, let’s overproduce everything), the last thing we tend to consider are batteries and power sources. And batteries, as powerhouses, fuel our everyday devices, from remote controls to life-saving medical equipment. Yet their disposal poses an ominous environmental threat often overlooked in the pursuit of convenience. Now, any observer of technical reality can witness to the urgency of addressing this silent menace.

And we all know what the problem is, right?

Is it having a lot of technical gadgets? No. Their need for a lot of batteries? Hell no.

These things are expected. There are, if you ask me (and no one did), two main problems. The first one is energy efficiency (or inefficiency). The second one is the significant impact on the environment of improper disposal of batteries. I want to believe that both are unintended consequences. But we can do a lot to fix it with just a little action.

Let’s discuss a greener, more sustainable future. Do we have it and how to get it, with small steps?

The statistics speak volumes. Did you know that improper disposal of low-power batteries contributes significantly to the accumulation of electronic waste (e-waste)? Astonishingly, over 40 million metric tons of e-waste are generated globally each year, with batteries comprising a substantial portion (UNEP, 2020).

As I delve deeper into the labyrinth of environmental consequences, aha moments abound.

Consider the risky journey of toxic chemicals unleashed into our soil and waterways. Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, lurking within discarded batteries, pose a sneaky threat to ecosystems and human health. The implications are profound: contaminated soil, polluted water sources, and endangered wildlife.

?But we all know that, right? Common sense, a little bit of logic, and… there we are.

Please don’t get me wrong, I think modern society could not function without technology. And I am the first one to say yes to gadgets, electronics, and wireless technology (I HATE CABLES). I am not trying to push the OFF button on having cell phones, smart watches, soil acidity sensors, 5G, smart glasses, computers, cars, planes, camera doorbells… I just want to live in a world where energy optimization is a must and responsible designing, and development are minimum in every technical project. And not just because of the profit. Because of the environment, reducing negative impacts on our health, future generations, and user experience. Profit will follow as it always does.

And again, it is not all that negative.

The landscape of battery recycling is undergoing a profound metamorphosis, driven by innovation and a collective commitment to sustainability. It will get to the green branch. We just need to push it even harder from more sides to get there as fast as possible. Now we have advanced sorting techniques, such as spectroscopic analysis and magnetic separation, heralding a new era of automation in battery component separation. And we have tools like Qoitech’s Otii to help product developers profile, emulate, and validate batteries, compare different data, and choose the best power source while learning things about their product’s energy consumption that they might not know before. As I said, we are going in the right direction.

Imagine a world where battery materials circulate endlessly within a closed-loop recycling system, minimizing waste and maximizing resource efficiency. This vision is not a distant utopia but a tangible reality taking shape through concerted research and development efforts.

Let us not overlook the role of renewable energy sources in shaping the future of battery production. Solar-powered and wind-powered battery manufacturing facilities offer a glimpse into a carbon-neutral future, where clean energy fuels the production of sustainable batteries.

As I reflect on these revelations, one truth emerges resolutely clear: the future of low-power batteries and battery waste management is not merely a technical endeavor but a moral imperative. It is a call to action that transcends boundaries, demanding collaboration, innovation, and unwavering commitment from all stakeholders.

So, what we can do? I strongly believe that we have the right, as consumers, to demand a more ethical approach to the battery-driven world. Demand guaranteed battery lifetime, and not “up to” what we have now. Demand efficient products (both hardware and software) that do not drain the battery for unwanted reasons, like high consumption in the sleeping period or inefficient hardware components that do not do their job properly. Demand having more eco-friendly and less profit-friendly batteries. Demand testing the full product (Hardware-software-power source) and always choose products with proven efficiency. In the end, if you dispose of your batteries, first check if they can work in some other device, and then throw them in the right place.

For product development companies, it is easy and super cost-effective to have optimized devices and the right power source. For the rest of us, we will have the same products, but improved.