Batteries
Batteries come in many shapes and sizes, from the tiny batteries found in watches to large batteries found in industrial vehicles, and now in EV cars.
Why are batteries a hazard we need to think about?
For museum gallery, library, and archive staff, batteries present two main hazards:
- If you leave small batteries in an item that you hold, the batteries may corrode and damage it.
- As vehicle batteries age, they can corrode and leak. These contain sulphuric acid and lead, both of which are hazardous. If you try to remove old and corroded car batteries, you run the risk of potential splashes from the battery acid.
Finally, it is worth remembering that in the event of a fire, small domestic batteries can explode, and that rechargeable lithium batteries burn at very high temperatures, making it difficult to put out the fire.
What might hazardous batteries look like?
Small batteries will often show signs of discolouration as they start to corrode, so check for any staining of your items in the battery casing.
The larger car batteries will often “fur” around the terminals as well as rust at the seams. This makes them difficult to remove and damages the surrounding material.
What does the law say about batteries?
There is nothing specific in New Zealand legislation regarding batteries.
When dealing with corroded vehicle batteries, you will have to follow guidelines laid down in the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
This states that a person conducting a business or undertaking has a responsibility to eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable; and if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to health and safety, minimise those risks as far as is reasonably practicable.
You should be aware that vehicle batteries contain sulphuric acid, and that this is a dangerous corrosive liquid.
Ensure that when you are dealing with any unsealed or corroded car battery you are wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE).
What do institutions have to do if they have items containing batteries?
The best way to prevent any battery damage is to remove the battery from the museum item and store it separately. Ensure that the batteries are labelled so they match their respective items.
Take care when removing vehicle batteries, these are heavy and ideally should be removed by two people.
Take particular care if you are removing a corroded vehicle battery as it may be “rusted in” and difficult to remove, and you may wish to contact a specialist.
Ensure that when you are handling a corroded battery you are wearing heavy duty protective gloves, safety goggles, and protective clothing. If splashed on your skin, sulphuric acid will burn. It needs to be washed off immediately with cold running water and the affected part kept under the running water for at least 10 minutes. Seek medical attention to ensure that the burn is not severe.
Have your chemical spill kit nearby if you are removing an old battery to mop up any of the liquid that may spill or seep out.
How can I dispose of any used or unwanted batteries?
Old batteries can be recycled but not with the normal recycling. Please do not put them with normal domestic rubbish or dispose of them illegally, as the lead will leach into the ground and may get into the groundwater.
Your local council will inform you where you can get your batteries recycled, this includes both small batteries and car batteries.
Old car batteries can be handed in free of charge to Supercheap Auto stores, Century Batteries, and your local council transfer stations.
Visit here to see where you can dispose of your batteries: Household battery recycling
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