Environmental Problems Regarding Electric Lift Truck Batteries
Electric forklifts are generally more stable and safer compared to diesel and gas powered forklifts. Gasoline and diesel engines emit toxic exhaust and pose a risk of fire. Nevertheless, electric forklifts could be dangerous, as well. They have rechargeable batteries as their source of power, and batteries can present risks to the natural world as well as to personal safety. There are risks connected with the disposal, storage, use and manufacture of rechargeable batteries for lift trucks.
Manufacturing
The majority of lift truck batteries are made by placing lead plates into a sulfuric acid solution. These are known as lead-acid rechargeable batteries. Lead is toxic which, when utilized in manufacturing processes, poses hazards to the quality of water due to drainage and runoff. Once lead enters a water system it can result in various kinds of health issues to living beings and could even be fatal. The sulfuric acid used in lift truck batteries is really harmful to skin and can result in severe burns. Sulfuric acid also produces harmful fumes which could cause damage to both the natural environment and to human beings.
Regular Use and Storage
When recharging, the lead-acid battery could produce hydrogen gas as a chemical byproduct. When recharging batteries for any types of vehicle or a lift truck, smoking, sparks, flames and heat must be kept well away from the recharging site. The flammable hydrogen could lead to an explosion if ignited by flame or heat.
If it touches the bare skin, sulfuric acid in the batteries could result in chemical burns. This is not an issue during normal use of the battery, but if a battery is punctured or damaged, the acid can spray or leak, potentially burning anyone who is nearby.
Disposal
Disposing of lead-acid batteries improperly must be avoided at all costs. The sulfuric acid can either be recycled or neutralized or could be reused in new batteries. In order to prevent the serious environmental consequences of wrong disposal, all lead-acid batteries bought or sold in the U.S. include a "core charge" that will only be returned if the used battery is turned in.