Technical Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of End-of-life Batteries in North America

Background Main hazard associated with SLAB recycling is emissions of lead particles to the environment Scientific consensus: No “safe” threshold for levels of lead in the blood – Can cause toxicity to the nervous system, heart, kidneys, bones, and reproductive organs If not managed properly, lead presents a serious risk to workers as well as those living in close proximity to smelting facilities, especially young children

Background Cont’d With a view to fostering ESM in the recycling of SLABs within North America and promoting safer working environments, in 2014 the CEC commissioned the development of technical guidelines on ESM for secondary lead smelters and other facilities that process SLABs

Background Cont’d These guidelines are meant to build on previous work to support the ESM of SLABs, including: – CEC Secretariat’s report entitled Practices and Options for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Spent Lead-acid Batteries within North America (2007); – CEC Secretariat’s report entitled Hazardous Trade? An Examination of US-generated Spent Lead-acid Battery Exports and Secondary Lead Recycling in Canada, Mexico, and the United States (2013); and – The Basel Convention’s Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of Waste Lead-Acid Batteries (2003)

Rationale This project is in direct response to the findings in the CEC Secretariat’s 2013 Hazardous Trade? report. Among those key findings: – Between , US net SLAB exports to Mexico increased substantially – Regulatory frameworks covering secondary lead smelters in Canada, Mexico, and the US provide unequal levels of environmental and health protection

Rationale Cont’d The development of these guidelines is an opportunity to disseminate scientifically based information on the ESM of SLABs Harmonizing health and safety practices across SLAB processing facilities will support achieving shared environmental goals in North America and may help avoid the development of pollution havens

Objectives and Scope The main objective of these technical guidelines are to: – Identify and consolidate best practices and technologies for collecting and recycling SLABs in an environmentally sound manner – Provide recommendations on how to implement ESM best practices and technologies within new and existing SLAB collection, storage, and recycling facilities operating in North America

How Guideline is Organized The draft Guideline provides a description of all the steps associated with SLAB recycling: Collection Transport Storage Breaking Reduction Refining Monitoring

Consultation process Oct Stakeholders Consultation Workshop in Mexico 21 November 2014 Draft 1 / Comments from Stakeholders February 2015 Draft 2/Comments from stakeholders

Contact Paula Urra Program Manager, Environmental Law Commission for Environmental Cooperation