Environmental Issues About Electric Lift Truck Batteries
Electric forklifts are generally more stable and safer compared to gas and diesel powered forklifts. Diesel and gasoline engines emit toxic exhaust and pose a risk of fire. Nonetheless, electric lift trucks can be dangerous, also. They have rechargeable batteries as their source of power, and batteries could present risks to the natural world as well as to personal safety. There are hazards associated with the disposal, storage, manufacture and use of rechargeable batteries for forklifts.
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 a toxin which, when used in manufacturing processes, poses hazards to water quality because of drainage and runoff. Once lead enters a water system it can lead to different types of health issues to living beings and could even lead to death. The sulfuric acid used in forklift batteries is harmful to skin and could cause severe burns. Sulfuric acid also produces toxic fumes which can cause damage to the natural environment and to human beings.
Normal 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 forklift, flames, heat, sparks and smoking must be kept well away from the recharging site. The flammable hydrogen can lead to an explosion if ignited by heat or flame.
If it come into contact with bare skin, sulfuric acid in the batteries can lead to chemical burns. This is not a problem during normal use of the battery, but if a battery is punctured or damaged, the acid can spray or leak, potentially burning anybody who is nearby.
Disposal
Disposing of lead-acid batteries improperly must be avoided at all costs. The sulfuric acid could either be neutralized or recycled or can be reused in new batteries. In order to avoid the serious environmental consequences of wrong disposal, all lead-acid batteries bought or sold within the United States include a "core charge" that would just be returned if the used battery is turned in.