Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant Setup In India

Lead Acid Batteries has a long history in comparison to the new Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries. Lithium Ion batteries came into existence around the 1970s while the Lead Acid Batteries find their inception in 1859. The rise of new technologies did not affect the widely used Lead Acid Batteries because these are more reliable, provides quick responses and last long. Considering these facts, we should not underestimate the potential of Lead Acid Batteries and utilize the opportunity by setting up a Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant in India. It will help to generate good profits as well as protect the environment from untreated hazardous battery waste.

What is Lead Acid Battery?

Lead Acid Battery is a rechargeable and reusable secondary battery. It was created in 1859 and got the title of the first rechargeable battery ever created. This battery uses lead (Pb) as the primary material for the anode and cathode and sulfuric acid as the electrolyte. The anode and cathode remain separate but immersed in the sulfuric acid. When charging or discharging the battery, an electrochemical reaction takes place which saves the energy in the battery and then transfers it to the connected electronic device.

When the battery is in discharged situation there remains the lead, lead dioxide, and sulfuric acid. When a power source is added to this battery, the lead reacts with the sulfuric acid and transforms into lead sulfate. The reaction also generates water in addition to lead sulfate. It stays in this position until the battery starts discharging. When the battery is in use, this led sulfate again reacts with the sulfuric acid and again changes into led dioxide.

How Lead Acid Batteries are Different from Lithium Ion Batteries?

Lead Acid Batteries and Lithium-Ion Batteries operate on a similar principle, but the materials used in both batteries differ. In Lead Acid batteries, lead dioxide and sulfuric acid serve the purpose of storing electricity, whereas, in Lithium-Ion Batteries, lithium ions are extracted from the positive electrode (cathode) and intercalated into the negative electrode during the charging process. And when the battery powers an electronic device, these intercalated lithium ions release from the anode and go back to the cathode.

Lead Acid Batteries are known for their reliability and low cost. They deliver high currents and are hence used in various applications where a surge of power is required. Lead Acid Batteries are mainly used in hybrid vehicles, power supplies, power backups etc. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries are used in electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles etc. Lead Acid Batteries have low cost and shorter life span while lithium-based batteries are costlier and have a longer life span.

Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant

Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant breaks down the waste Lead Acid Batteries and processes them to efficiently extract useful raw materials such as lead that can again be used in the production of Lead Acid Batteries. The recyclers sell these recycled raw materials to manufacturers where they can use these to produce new batteries. In this process, the recyclers earn a profit while also helping the environment to stay free from the hazardous waste contained in lead-acid batteries. Lead Acid Batteries contain Lead and Sulfuric Acid and both of these can have a negative impact on our environment if not treated properly.

Lead Acid Batteries are manufactured with substances that are harmful to nature and may cause disruptions if not handled correctly. The environment gets affected if gets accidental exposure to the lead and sulfuric acid used in Lead Acid batteries. A Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant ensures the safe handling of these batteries that have reached their end of life and thereby any risks associated with these waste batteries. Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant is responsible for the following major benefits-

• Environmental Benefits

It protects the environment from unwanted exposure to harmful substances like lead and sulfuric acid. The recyclers collect these batteries from the consumers and all other sources where these batteries are available to recycle. In this manner, the overall circulation of waste batteries in the market is decreased.

• Commercial Benefits

The recyclers earn a handsome amount by selling the final output products of the Lead Acid Recycling Plant. The manufacturers of Lead Acid Batteries also get benefits because the cost of battery production goes down by using recycled raw materials instead of fresh costlier resources.

• Social Benefits

Unemployment is a big social issue in the country and the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plants will create job opportunities across the country. These opportunities will be for both skilled and unskilled labour. The plant requires workers for operating the machines and other tasks relating to the recycling process.

The Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant requires various equipment to process the waste batteries in various stages. The major pieces of equipment required for Lead Acid Battery Recycling are as follows-

• Battery Cutting Machine

This machine cuts the battery and exposes the materials kept inside the enclosure. It helps to segregate various components of the battery so that the separated parts are processed differently in the next stages.

• Effluent Treatment Plant

The plant treats the liquid waste and stores the treated water which can be utilised to wash off the acid from the components of the battery. It saves fresh water.

• Smelting Furnace

The recycler uses the smelting furnace to smelt lead plates separated from the Lead Acid Battery. It provides a high temperature that smelts the lead and removes any impurities from the lead plates.

• Automatic Battery Breaker

It is an alternative to the Battery Crushing Machine. It converts the whole Lead Acid Battery into various smaller pieces and then provides the washed plastic parts, lead metal and lead paste. Then This lead is fed to the smelting furnace.

• Moulds and Refining Pots

The Moulds and Refining Pots are used to make lead ingots from the smelted lead. They provide a shade to the recycled lead which helps in the transportation of the material.

• Air Pollution Control System

An Air Pollution Control System should also be installed on the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant. It purifies the emissions before releasing them into the atmosphere.

Before setting it up the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant Registration, a recycler needs to possess the following document, permissions, NOCs, consents, and authorisations. As a recycler of hazardous waste and battery waste, you need to follow the regulations as prescribed under the respective waste management rules also. The required documents are as follows-

Personal Documents

You must have the following personal documents-

• Identity Proof
• Address Proof
• PAN Card

Company Related Documents

You must have the following documents related to your company. These documents are used to verify the legality of your establishment and to collect the Tax-related details-

• CIN
• MoA
• AoA
• Partnership Deed
• MSME Registration
• SSI Registration
• Udyog Aadhaar
• PAN Card
• GST Registration

Other Permissions

Apart from the above-mentioned documents, you need some permissions from the applicable authorities. These authorities include the District Administration, State Pollution Control Board, Pollution Control Committee and the Central Pollution Control Board. The following documents must be obtained before setting up the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant-

• Battery Waste Management Authorization
• Hazardous Waste Management Authorization
• Consent to Establishment (CTE)
• Consent to Operate (CTO)
• District Industries Centre Registration (DIC)
• NOCs from local authorities

The process of setting up a Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant involves various aspects. These are related to the recycling process, documentation process, and post-establishment compliance. These processes are described below-

Documentation Process of Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant

• You should register your company at the Registrar of Companies. You will receive a Corporate Identification Number and a Certificate of Incorporation. It will work as an identity proof of the company.
• MoA and AoA will be prepared at the time of incorporation.
• The company should get the GST Registration online from the GST portal.
• If you are establishing the business on a small scale, you can get the SSI, MSME, Udyog Aadhaar, and DIC Registration etc. for your business as per the eligibility criteria.
• You should obtain the Battery Waste Management Authorization under the BWM Rules of 2022. It is a one-time registration granted by the State Pollution Control Board for Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant Registration.
• As the battery waste contains hazardous substances like lead, and sulfuric acid etc, the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant Setup also requires authorization under the Hazardous Waste Management Rules. It can also be granted by the State Pollution Control Board after an application for the grant of authorization is made by the applicant under Form 1.
• These authorizations provide the recyclers with a Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant Licence to process the waste battery and hazardous materials.
• You should also have Consent to Establish (CTE) for Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant and Consent to Operate (CTO). These consents are provided by the State Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Committee online.

Recycling Process of Lead Acid Battery

• Use a Battery Cutting Machine (BCM) to cut the tops of the batteries, ensuring proper collection and segregation of battery parts in an acid-proof area.
• Manually segregate the plastic cases, PP separators, and plates from the battery. Ensure proper storage of plastic cases and PP separators for sale to authorized recyclers.
• Wash the plastic cases and PP separators using treated water from the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). Collect the washings in the ETP's equalization sump.
• Take the lead plates to the smelting furnace for melting and separation of lead from impurities. The molten lead will be used to produce lead ingots called Re-Melted Lead (RML).
• In the case of an automatic battery breaker, the drained lead-acid batteries are crushed and separated into washed plastic parts, lead metal, and lead paste. The lead metal and lead paste are then fed into the smelting furnace.
• If required, the RML can be further refined by feeding it into refining pots to obtain purified lead.
• Direct the emissions from the smelting furnaces and refining pots to an Air Pollution Control System (APCS) to control and mitigate air pollutants.

Responsibilities of the Recycler for Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant

A recycler, who is operating the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant requires to fulfil the duties as mentioned in the Battery Waste Management Rules of 2022. They create an outline of the prescribed compliances for battery recycling facilities. These responsibilities are as follows-

• To follow CPCB guidelines on waste management
• To implement the provisions of HWM Rules
• To maintain the safety standards when storing waste batteries for recycling
• To file quarterly returns on CPCB portal
• To not deal in waste batteries with any unregistered entity
• To provide recycling certificates

The recycler needs to spend funds for various needs when setting up the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant. These expenses are as follows-

• Land Possession
• Required Machinery
• Labour Payouts
• Utility Bills
• Documentation

These heads should be considered when calculating the Lead Acid Battery Recycling cost. The expenditure for the land can be saved if you own it otherwise the rent has to be paid. The cost of the machinery may vary depending on its size and capacity. Currently, various online vendors sell these systems. The labour in India may cost around five hundred rupees per head per day. Utility bills include the bills for water, electricity, internet, phone or usage of any other resource in the Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant.

There are also application fees when applying to the State Pollution Control Board or PCC for any document. This fee varies from one thousand to seven lakh rupees depending on the size of your industry. Small-scale industries need to pay less while the big companies pay the most fee for acquiring documents like the authorization certificate, consent to establish and the consent to operate.

With years of experience and extensive knowledge of various waste management rules and business laws applicable in India, our team at Corpseed understands the procedures involved in obtaining the necessary permits for the establishment of a Lead Acid Battery Recycling Plant. To assist our clients in establishing their businesses and complying with applicable rules, we conduct desk-based research, documentation, and coordination. Corpseed is a one-stop solution for all your business needs.