[Metalab] led throwies

[Damian Stewart]

well.. i guess i'm wrong then :-)

well, it still just _feels_ wrong to go and throw batteries around...

On 22 Nov 2010, at 15:21, Bernhard Kuemel wrote:

> On 11/22/2010 01:34 PM, Damian Stewart wrote:
> 
>> erm. just be aware that led throwies are a bit of an environmental
>> disaster. try and make it so you clean up properly after you're done.
>> batteries in the groundwater == very very bad for the environment.
> 
> This depends a lot on cell chemistry.
> 
> Lithium cells are typically lithium - manganese dioxide, which I'd both
> consider harmless. Well, Lithium and it's followup compounds are
> caustic, but once diluted or neutralized I'd have no problem drinking
> them. Lithium is even used as medicine.
> 
> The electrolyte is a lithium salt dissolved in a mixtiure of organic
> solvents, e.g. Lithium perchlorate in propylene carbonate and
> dimethoxyethane (DME).
> 
> Lithium perchlorate doesn't seem to be a big problem in the case of a
> few lithium cells dumped in the soil.
> 
> Propylene carbonate is irritating and is replacing the environmentally
> more harmful cresols.
> 
> Dimethoxyethane is miscible with water toxic and can impair
> reproductivity and cause birth defects.
> 
> http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/d5712.htm says: Do not flush to
> sewer! US Regulations (CERCLA) require reporting spills and releases to
> soil, water and air in excess of reportable quantities.
> 
> Degradation products may be more harmful.
> 
> It is not, however, flagged as 'harmful for the environment'. I don't
> know how it is degraded. It can form peroxides with oxygen.
> 
> So, while a few typcial lithium cells may not be a long term hazard it
> is still a good idea to avoid their release to the environment.
> 
> They are certainly less harmful than cells which contain the toxic heavy
> metal element mercury (these are quite rare these days, IMO) and
> recharchable NiCd cells which contain the toxic heavy metal element
> cadmium. Chemical elements can not be degraded (except with nuclear
> reactions).
> 
> Bernhard
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Metalab mailing list
> Metalab at lists.metalab.at
> http://lists.metalab.at/mailman/listinfo/metalab

--
damian stewart . @damiannz .  damian at frey.co.nz
frey . contemporary art . http://www.frey.co.nz