Ecologia, Medio Ambiente y Energias Renovables en la Naturaleza
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Lunes, 21 de Mayo de 2012
A new study conducted by an engineering professor from University of Tennessee, Knoxville found that solar power production yields to high lead emissions, especially in developing countries.
The study led by Chris Cherry found out that solar power using lead batteries has the tendency to release more than 2.4 million tons of lead emissions in China and India.
Large number of solar power systems are reliant to lead batteries for energy storage due to inadequate power grid in these countries.
The lead pollution will result from investments in solar power by 2022 and is at par with global lead production. The researchers also found out that there are high amounts of lead leak into the environment from mining, smelting, battery manufacturing, and recycling in China and India.
"Investments in environmental controls in the lead battery industry, along with improvements in battery take-back policies, are needed to complement deployment of solar power in these countries," said Mr. Cherry.
"Without improvements, it is increasingly clear that the use of lead batteries will contribute to environmental contamination and lead poisoning among workers and children," concluded Mr. Cherry.
Lead poisoning had adverse health effects including damage to the central nervous system, the kidneys, the cardiovascular system and the reproductive system as well as learning impairments in children.
The estimations of the study are most likely to be repeated in the rest of developing nations such as in Africa.
