Storage Yard for Waste Batteries OpensIn order to reduce the health risks caused by discarded batteries, Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, has opened a special yard exclusively for safe storage of waste batteries in the nearby rural area.Containing a variety of toxic heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, chromium, and lead, the waste batteries, if thrown out indiscriminately, will contaminate soil and water and consequently create a health hazard. Even a small button-sized cell battery, for instance, can contaminate 600 cubic meters of water. Many of the myriad batteries used each year in Nanjing cannot be collected and disposed of properly. Environmental protection officials in Nanjing have called on residents to dispose of their used batteries in the storage yard. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |