Mexico at risk of becoming pollution haven, trade of used batteries from US surge

PUEBLA (Scrap Monster) : Enormously large quantities of used batteries are being shipped from US across the border to Mexico. This is not because the US lacks recycling facilities or Mexico possesses better recycling facilities than the US.

The lead emissions standards of US recycling plants are ten times stricter than Mexico, which remains the only reason for the increased trade between borders. According to statistics, the dead batteries exported from US to Mexico in 2011 would have filled around 18,000 trailers. Montreal based commission investigating environmental issued under the regulations of NAFTA states that the trade volumes have increased multifold.

The plants in US have most modern technologies installed which ensure that thr toxic emissions out of them will be minimal. The recycling facilities in Mexico are equipped with far inferior pollution controls than in the U.S.

Canada’s standards are also lower than in the United States, but not nearly as lax as those of Mexico. That makes Mexico the favorite export destination by default.

According to Irasema Coronado, the executive director of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, the trilateral NAFTA board, the three countries should arrive at a common strategy to prevent cross border exports.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2008 decided to tighten standards for airborne lead particles.The allowable standards of lead concentrations were cut to a tenth of the previous standard. The US still continues to follow the same standard even today.It has not altered the 2008 standat

The huge gap between U.S. and Mexico on lead emissions dates to 2008, when science advisers told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to tighten standards for airborne lead particles. The change was implemented, cutting the allowable standards of lead concentrations to a tenth of the previous standard.

Health activists indicate that exposure to Lead can lead to a series of illness including kidney disorders and neurological issues. Lead particles can escape from recycling plants in exhaust gases, dust emissions and in water discharges.