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ABRI WEBINAR: IMPLEMENTING NEW PACKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROAD TRANSPORT OF MIXED LOADS OF BATTERIES: ADG 7.7 |
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ABRI invites you to attend a webinar “Implementing new packing instructions for road transport of mixed loads of batteries: Australian Dangerous Goods Code 7.7. The webinar will provide practical guidance on safe packing of mixed loads of batteries for road transport. The webinar will be presented by ABRI’s Libby Chaplin and Debra Kirk from the National Transport Commission.
This four-hour webinar (plus 30 minute lunch) has been prepared by ABRI with input from the National Transport Commission and members of the Competent Authorities Panel to ensure that the information provided is consistent with the latest version of the ADG. The Australian Dangerous Goods Code was updated to version 7.7 in July 2020 for implementation October 2020 with a 12-month transition period to follow.
The webinar will cover road transport compliance and best practice guidance including topics such as:
- General safety
- Choosing a qualified recycler
- Acceptable containers
- Packing instructions
- Placarding
- Transport and waste approval documentation
- Managed damaged and defective batteries
- This to avoid
Who should attend?
This webinar will be relevant to those who are responsible for storage, packing or transport by road of mixed loads of batteries or anyone one interested in safe storage of batteries.
Webinar details
Cost: $95 for non-members or $75 for ABRI members
Optional Dates: The webinar will be delivered twice: 21st and 26th October.
Times: 10:00am – 2:30pm including a 30-minute break for lunch
Sponsorship: If you would like to sponsor this event, contact us on the link below.
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FROM WASTE TO HIGH-PERFORMANCE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES – THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN ACTION |
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On 17 August 2020, Lithium Australia announced it had successfully manufactured high-capacity lithium ferro phosphate (‘LFP’) battery cells from various types of waste material, including low-grade spodumene and spent lithium-ion batteries (‘LIBs’).
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INTERNATIONAL STUDY: SOLAR PV MODULE DISPOSAL POSES NO HUMAN HEALTH RISK |
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A new report, by an International Energy Agency task force, finds no significant hazards for land-fill waste disposal of solar PV modules.
End-of-life management is critical for addressing large future PV waste volumes and conserving raw materials for use in new PV modules. While recycling is expected to be the dominant and preferred strategy for sustainable end of life management, there are still concerns regarding improper disposal of PV modules.
This study was co-led by Australian engineer Dr Jose Bilabo from UNSW, and found cancer risk and non-cancer hazards to be below screening thresholds for all assessed chemical elements, even in the worst case scenarios.
Click below to access the press release, two page summary and full report.
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NSW EPA - CIRCULAR SOLAR TRIALS FUNDING PROGRAM |
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A new funding opportunity addressing solar panel and battery system waste management has been announced by the NSW EPA.
Expressions of interest for the NSW EPA Circular Solar Trials grants opened on 19 August 2020. This funding forms part of the NSW Government’s $10 million election commitment to reduce land filling of these materials. Application forms and guidelines can be found on the EPA website by clicking below.
Purpose
The NSW EPA seek expressions of interest for organisations to complete collaborative ‘whole-of-supply chain’ projects that trial circular economy approaches to managing end-of-life solar panel systems in NSW. The development of trials is needed to test the commercial and logistical feasibility of collecting solar panel and battery systems for recycling and reuse, while linking these collected resources with end-markets to show end-to-end outcomes.
Funding
· $2 million of contestable grant funding is now available for trial projects
· Further funding to support the growth of the solar panel and battery circular economy will be offered at a later stage. Priorities for future funding rounds may include the scaling up of trial programs, new recycling/reuse infrastructure, collection models, research and market development.
Applications close 4pm, Thursday 17 September 2020.
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IS PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP REFORM THE TURNING POINT? |
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There has been considerable industry debate around Product Stewardship and the lack of a compulsory mandate for companies to stop using virgin materials in their packaging.
Against this atmosphere, the advent of the Federal Government’s decision in early July to amend the Product Stewardship Act 2011, the legislative mechanism to improve the use and re-use of resources to support waste management, was overwhelmingly welcomed.
This long-awaited review forms part of ongoing reform of Australia’s product stewardship regime and follows on from the National Waste Policy Action Plan 2019, agreed last November at a meeting of environment ministers, and the National Waste Policy 2018.
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LITHIUM AUSTRALIA – CAN RECYCLING WASTE REDUCE THE COST OF BATTERY PRODUCTION? |
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VSPC Limited (‘VSPC’), a subsidiary of Lithium Australia NL (ASX: LIT, ‘the Company’), is currently evaluating the use of cost-competitive inputs in the production of lithium ferro phosphate (‘LFP’) batteries. (LFP is considered the ‘safe’ lithium-ion battery (‘LIB’) chemistry, with negligible fire risk.)
The VSPC programme is part-funded by a federal government Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (i.e. AMGC) grant. VSPC’s initial results indicate the potential to reduce the cost of battery manufacture by 20-30%, which could create a much more competitive environment for LIB production in Australia.
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'DOG'S BREAKFAST': AUDIT FINDS CONSUMERS CONFUSED BY RECYCLING LABELS |
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The Australian Council of Recycling says recycling labels on products are a “dog’s breakfast”, with a national audit finding consumers are confused by different logos and incorrect or non-existent labelling.
The industry association is calling for a mandatory uniform label on every product and packaging type sold into the Australian market to remove confusion among consumers.
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WA HOPING TO LURE CATHODE MANUFACTURING |
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PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (Amec) has welcomed the Western Australian government’s decision to invest A$13.2-million to attract a global cathode active materials production facility for lithium-ion batteries.
The funding forms part of the state government’s greater A$92.4-million suite of incentives to activate new industries and create a jobs pipeline.
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$10 MILLION GRANTS FOR NSW SOLAR PANEL AND BATTERY STORAGE |
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The NSW Government is investing $10 million to help improve environmental performance by diverting end-of-life solar panel systems from landfill, with the first round of grants now open.
Although current waste volumes are relatively low, this emerging waste stream is expected to rapidly increase over the next decade as installed systems reach their end-of-life.
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HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT BECOMING AN ABRI MEMBER? |
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ABRI members are actively involved at the forefront of developments in industry and government to address the rapid expansion in the market and ensure that solutions to battery stewardship are practical and far reaching. Together, we influence policy, participate in research, facilitate trials and develop best practices to ensure that battery handling and recovery options are safe, efficient and business friendly. Our members represent the entire supply chain – importers, retailers, energy providers, recyclers, as well as government and research. We rely on member support to provide the latest information, events, best practices and industry trends. If your organisation finds these activities relevant, now is a good time to become involved.
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WHEN WILL BATTERY METALS REBALANCE? |
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‘Prices for lithium, cobalt and nickel underscore the likely skepticism about the timing and magnitude of the new energy revolution,’ report analysts at FastMarkets.
The trailing 24 months show a steady decline in prices. ‘Lithium surpluses over the past 12 months months alone have caused prices to drop by 41% for lithium carbonate and by 32% for lithium hydroxide monohydrate,’ analysts note.
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GARDEN EQUIPMENT BATTERY MARKET - GLOBAL OUTLOOK AND FORECAST 2020-2025 |
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Increasing landscaping activities across the world primarily drive the garden equipment battery market. Changing lifestyle preferences and demographic shifts play a pivotal role in the gardening and landscaping industry. The gardening process is expected to add aesthetic value to commercial and residential properties. Landscape and lawn care service providers are incorporating new route optimization technology, geo-measuring, mobile irrigation system controllers, and ride-on equipment to increase market shares. The increasing government spends on landscaping services, public spaces, and green spaces are expected to bolster the demand for garden equipment during the forecast period.
The increasing shift toward sustainable solutions among professionals, as well as semi-professional consumers is likely to bolster the demand for electric and battery-powered gardening solutions in the market. With advances in technology, battery-powered devices are expected to increase in prominence. Features such as low maintenance, noiseless operations are expected to bolster the demand for battery-powered tools. The battery-powered garden equipment is environment-friendly and releases no fumes. Reduced vibrations and convenience are expected to increase the usage of battery-powered tools among residential and commercial users.
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LINDNER MONITORS OVERHEATING BATTERIES TO KEEP RECYCLERS SAFE |
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Batteries are ever-present for recyclers, although processing them can cause a range of problems including fires. Austrian firm Lindner Recyclingtech has developed a solution.
‘The worst-case scenario is for a damaged battery to end up in the fuel storage bunker, where it could cause a devastating fire,’ Lindner declares. Even if the battery burns itself out and doesn’t cause an explosion, the resulting temperatures are an enormous problem due to the fuel’s ignition point of 319 – 460 C.
That’s why Lindner’s innovative Fire Prevention System features optical sensors that constantly monitor the temperature on conveyor belts and automatically trigger a water sprinkling system to cool overheated particles in the material stream.
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BIFFA CUTS CO2 EMISSIONS FROM TRANSPORTING WASTE MATERIALS TO LANDFILL BY 6600 TONNES WITH RAIL |
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UK based waste and recycling firm, Biffa, has saved 6600 tonnes of CO2 emissions by switching to the use of rail links for the transportation of predominantly inert waste material to its facilities.
The company explained that the savings follow its 2018 strategic rail partnership with GB Railfreight (GBRf) to increase its capacity for waste transportation via rail, thereby reducing its reliance on road haulage. Since 2019, the Group has transported over 600,000 tonnes of inert waste by rail.
Under the partnership, rail links were created with the Northern cities of Manchester in 2017 and Leeds in 2018, to allow waste to be transported to Biffa’s landfill facility in Roxby, near Scunthorpe.
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GERMAN STATE GRANT TO BOOST BATTERY PRODUCTION… AND RECYCLING |
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The German government is to invest more than EUR 1.5 billion in battery cell research and production, starting with a EUR 300 million grant to battery manufacturer Varta.
The funding is the first step in an initiative under the European Union’s Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) programme. eNews Bulletin reports that, along with Varta, four other companies with battery cell projects in Germany will also receive grants from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy: BASF, BMW Group, Opel and recycler Umicore.
With a potential market value for European-made batteries of EUR 250 billion by mid-2020s, according to the European Battery Alliance, and with lithium-ion batteries already accounting for approximately 40% of the value of electric vehicles, the German Government’s support for such projects could yield significant gains for the whole country.
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