Assessment of industrial hazardous waste practices, storage and primary batteries industries. Final report, Apr--Sep 1974

This report, which covers battery manufacturing operations, is one of a series of several studies which examine land-destined wastes from selected industries. The battery industry is divided into two groups by the Bureau of Census: Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 3691 Storage Batteries (such as lead--acid automobile batteries) and SIC 3692 Primary Batteries (such as carbon--zinc flashlight batteries). The battery industry was studied because heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, zinc, and lead are used in some of its manufacturing processes. These metals can be toxic in certain concentrations and forms. The potentially hazardous wastes destined for land disposal from the battery industry consist of industrial processing wastes, reject cells, and sludges from water pollution control devices. The amount of sludges destined for land disposal is expected to experience a large short term increase as water effluent guidelines are implemented. The impact of water effluent guidelines on land disposal of wastes is the largest single factor in determining future trends for this industry.