Clean energy is supposed to be better for the planet, but scientists say not all green tech is as clean as it seems.
Batteries help with the replacement of dirty energy, but the process of mining materials like nickel, cobalt, and manganese takes a toll on both the environment and human health. A report in Tech Xplore covering a study published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling exposes just how serious the problem is, but it also lays out solutions to make battery production more sustainable.
A team of researchers across China and Israel found that pollution from mining battery materials in China is hitting human health even harder than the carbon emissions from making the batteries themselves. Tiny bits of pollution in the air released during mining and processing is responsible for over 62% of the total environmental and health impact of these batteries. These airborne pollutants have been linked to respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and even premature death, according to the World Health Organization.
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Absolutely 🗑️ But it's not just the pollution that is a problem. As demand for battery materials grows, it's also driving trade restrictions and political tension. Countries are scrambling to lock down resources, leading to more mining that wrecks ecosystems and pushes communities out. If nothing changes, the clean-energy boom could end up repeating the same old mistakes of other extractive industries.
But researchers say there's a way forward. One key solution is powering mineral extraction with renewable energy, which could drastically cut the carbon footprint of battery production. Another is putting toxic mining waste back where it came from instead of leaving it out in the open. The study also pushes for a circular economy, where old battery materials get reused and recycled instead of digging up more every time.
Some companies are already heading in the right direction. Redwood Materials, started by former Tesla exec JB Straubel, is ramping up battery recycling in the U.S. to cut down on the need for fresh mining. Lilac Solutions is working on cleaner ways to pull lithium, one of the key ingredients in batteries, from the earth.
Batteries are shaping the future of energy, and researchers are exploring ways to make them cleaner, including better recycling, greener mining, and smarter production, to ensure clean energy stays truly clean.
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