Automotive and industrial battery manufacturer First Battery has invested “heavily” in accelerating its green energy strategy, with a focus on the use of advanced technologies during the manufacturing and recycling of its energy solutions.
Originally established in 1931, the East London-headquartered battery manufacturer has evolved from a traditional battery producer, to a provider of energy storage solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors – which are used in applications such as marine, standby power and renewable energy.
The company says it manufactures over 2.2 million batteries a year that are exported to 40 countries worldwide.
First Battery established its recycling facility in Benoni, in the East Rand, in 2013, to minimise environmental pollution and waste, and conserve the quality of its lead supply for new batteries.
Over the years, the facility has become a “futuristic” recycling factory, with the main purpose of recycling old automotive batteries and bringing them back to life, using recycling methods and technology.
ITWeb was invited on a media tour of the facility, which features tech to efficiently recycle used lead-acid batteries, including a battery breaker, an effluent plant for acid treatment, a lead smelter and a plastic reprocessing plant.
These components work together to ensure nearly all parts of a used lead-acid battery are recycled and repurposed.
A new range of automotive lead-acid batteries, which are 96% recyclable, were reprocessed from the facility, catering to a range of vehicle sizes and models, including electric vehicles.
Shane Petersen, director of sales and marketing at First Battery, told ITWeb the facility has been refurbished to focus on sustainability and innovation, premised on the ‘design for disassembly’ principle, which ensures products can be safely disposed of and recycled.
The company has also invested R2 million in the development of a new water settling dam situated within the premises, to recycle water through a wastewater treatment process, making it reusable for battery recycling, instead of flowing into the sewer system.
“The focus on our recycling businesses and manufacturing business is to make sure we continuously innovate and get better with the technology we use across our facilities,” Petersen explained.
“One of the biggest components that we've got here [Benoni facility] is the battery breaking technology, which uses automation to enable us to break the batteries down into various components and melt them.
“Another important machine is the smelter, which uses the furnaces for heat treatment. The efficiency of that really is critical from energy utilisation through to the output, which we create for future manufacturing.”
A division of Metair Investments, First Battery also provides battery solutions directly to the public through its First Battery Centre franchises, including eco-friendly solutions, such as solar batteries.
The Benoni facility includes other components, such as an effluent plant for acid treatment, a blending kettle for specialised alloy production and automated scrubbers to control emissions.
As global demand for batteries grows, there are increasing concerns over the negative environmental impact of automotive batteries, ranging from the high levels of water used during production, to the hazards of discarded batteries.
With the transport sector being a major user of energy, the CO2 emissions from the vehicle industry alone have an impact on hydrological conditions and water quality, and have seen a threefold increase in the last decade − contributing to degraded air quality, as well as a changing climate, according to Science Direct.
Recognising the potential harm of automotive battery components like lead, plastic and sulphuric acid to the environment, First Battery’s Scrap Batteries division focuses on collecting and recycling used lead-acid batteries throughout SA.
During the recycling process, the lead pieces are refined and blended to produce lead alloys for new batteries. Any non-reclaimable elements are safely disposed of in compliance with environmental regulations, says the company.
“Our recycling infrastructure is a critical part of our environmental responsibility strategy,” stated Charles Van Aswegen, director of manufacturing at First Battery.
“By maintaining a closed-loop system, we effectively reduce waste, minimise pollution and ensure the highest quality of recycled materials for new battery production.”
The company says its five manufacturing facilities are ISO 50001:2018 certified, adhering to international standards for energy management.
Petersen emphasised the importance of innovative methods, such as advanced recycling: “It's important to note that the colour of the battery lid doesn’t signify the commitment to recycling; it's what the manufacturer does with it that counts.”
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