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Dry cells: Our silent destroyers
2007-11-25 12:01:13
By Peter Mwangu
A group of young children were playing with used dry cells. Some of them were licking the potentially lethal items.
It is estimated that there are about 20 million used dry cells per month in Tanzania alone which are left scattered and littering the environment.
The number of batteries per household per month is increasing , more-so in rural areas where electricity is not available.
Speaking with this paper this week, Prof. Iddi Mkilaha, Head Department of Energy Engineering of the University of Dar es Salaam, said ``There is a huge environmental threat due to the heavy metals present in these dry and wet cells which leak out after improperly disposing them`` He added that metals like mercury, lead, silver and zinc pose serious health risks to human beings, animals and plants.
The environment is highly polluted by these metals, hence the whole ecosystem encompassing both plants and animals.
The don asks and answers the questions: ``Where are those colourful butterflies that used to decorate our skies and backyard gardens?
And where are these tiny miracle insects that used to blink at night? All have long gone due to the results of environmental destruction``
Upon leaking, most dry cells emit acids which instantly kill a variety of plants and animals.
Furthermore, micro-organisms of economic importance in soil conservation and other components tend to dissolve in water, and are then filtered by the soil all the way down to the water bed where they contaminate or poison the water, Prof. Mkilaha said.
He also pointed out that according to studies made on the effects of heavy metal poisoning to animals, it has been revealed that mercury has potential to cause permanent brain damage, kidney damage, lung damage, digestive system problems and also central nervous system and pregnant mothers can have serious medical implications too.
He however added that burying the cells underground as many people think, is not a solution to the problem but worsens it instead.
He said the cells menace should be tackled with the zeal with which plastic shopping bags are being controlled.
He said a recycling plant can be built to dismantle the dry and wet cells used in cars and extract the reusable parts and properly dispose of the non reusable and toxic parts of the cells.
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