The Ministry of Municipality and Environment stressed yesterday that discarding of hazardous waste must only be done through the companies accredited by the ministry.
The Ministry reiterated the importance of law No. 30 and its executive regulations, which bans trading of hazardous waste without a permit from the designated administrative authority.
The Ministry called on all parties that work with hazardous waste, including used batteries, to deal only with authorised companies.
The Ministry stressed that car batteries, in particular, must be disposed of in a safe and secure manner due to the materials it contains which can be harmful to the environment.
A report by the ministry highlighted the dangers of these minerals, noting that they damage agricultural products and are a health hazard to humans.
The report mentioned the risks used batteries pose as they contain dangerous and toxic substances including sulfuric acid, which could cause damage to agricultural crops and harm people if leaked out of the battery.
Most types of batteries also contain mercury, which again is a toxic substance that is odourless and colourless, it not treated properly it may evaporate and mix with air without realizing and may reach humans through inhalation or ingestion. It could cause mobility problems, damage to the brain, kidneys, respiratory system and poor fertility in humans.
In addition it also have lead, which could cause great harm to brain and bones, silver that is harmful to the skin, Freon gas, which is harmful to the ozone layer, lithium, a substance that explodes when mixed with water, and cadmium, which could cause many health damages such as abdominal pain, high blood pressure and respiratory problems.
The report clarified the proper procedures for disposing of used batteries and the proper management of battery waste, in order to preserve the environment and the safety of living organisms.
Accordingly, it is necessary to refer to the concerned authorities to follow the steps for the safe disposal of hazardous waste in order to avoid randomness in the disposal of used batteries.
To dispose or transfer hazardous waste, companies can go to the Department of Radiation and Chemical Protection in the Ministry of Municipalities and Environment, fill out the required form and submit it to the Ministry. The application form ai available on Ministry’s website.
It is allowed to export hazardous waste in the absence of an appropriate disposal method or treatment facilities inside the country.
