Environmental desecration!
Posted on 07/09/2024 11:52:23 AM PDT by Red Badger
Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles.
Some lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of PFAS chemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that helps make batteries less flammable and conduct electricity.
Scientists found high levels of these PFAS in air, water, snow, soil, and sediment samples near plants that make those chemicals in the US, Belgium, and France, according to a peer-reviewed study in the journal Nature Communications.
PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they build up quickly in the environment, people, and animals and don't break down for thousands of years. They've been linked to a host of health conditions, including liver damage, high cholesterol, low birth weights, and chronic kidney disease.
The findings underscore how switching to cleaner cars and renewable energy is key to solving the climate crisis, but comes with its own set of trade-offs that are still emerging and understudied.
While the environmental and health impacts of mining lithium and other minerals used in batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and other technology are well documented, it's only now that researchers are uncovering lithium-ion batteries as a source of PFAS pollution.
"Slashing [carbon dioxide] emissions with innovations like electric cars is critical, but it shouldn't come with the side effect of increasing PFAS pollution," Jennifer Guelfo, an associate professor of environmental engineering at Texas Tech University and coauthor of the study, said in a statement.
It's an issue of global concern because lithium-ion batteries are used worldwide, the study said. The same class of PFAS has recently been detected at low levels in European and Chinese water, but the source of the pollution was unclear.
The specific class of PFAS that Guelfo's team found is called bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides, or bis-FASIs. Scientists tested more than a dozen lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and consumer electronics like laptops, and found bis-FASIs at various concentrations.
It's hard to know just how widespread the chemicals are in specific lithium-ion batteries because there isn't enough research yet, Lee Ferguson, associate professor of environmental engineering at Duke University and coauthor of the study, said.
Guelfo said bis-FASIs is comparable to "older notorious" chemicals like PFOA, in part because they are extremely difficult to degrade and studies show the chemicals change the behavior of aquatic organisms at low concentrations. PFOA has been phased out of production in the US but continues to pollute drinking water.
The study was the first "cradle-to-grave" evaluation of the environmental impacts of bis-FASI use in lithium-ion batteries. The effects of bis-FASIs in humans hasn't been studied yet.
The scientists detected bis-FASIs chemicals at parts per billion levels – much higher than the limits the Environmental Protection Agency set for PFAS in drinking water in April. Strategies to get rid of PFAS in drinking water can also remove bis-FASIs, the study said, which should become more widely adopted due to EPA's regulations. However, chemical makers and some water utilities have challenged the agency in court.
Other routes of exposure to bis-FASIs exist. Air emissions data suggest the chemicals can travel to areas far from manufacturing sites. They can also leach into the environment from landfills, where the majority of lithium-ion batteries end up.
The study said only about 5 percent of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, and by 2040, there could be some 8 million tons of lithium-ion battery waste.
Guelfo said scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and policymakers need to develop battery technology and recycling solutions that don't exacerbate PFAS pollution.
"We need to be carefully evaluating these chemicals that are being used in sustainable energy infrastructure," Guelfo said. "We should be evaluating them now before it becomes a more widespread problem. We an opportunity to really maximize the idea of sustainability."
Companies including 3M, Solvay, and Arkema either hold patents for bis-FASIs or advertise its production or use, the study said. Scientists focused their research on areas near the companies' manufacturing plants in Minnesota, Kentucky, Antwerp, Belgium, and Salindres, France.
3M has manufactured PFAS for decades and last year agreed to a $10 billion settlement with US cities and towns over their claims that the company contaminated drinking water with forever chemicals. 3M said it will exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.
The company's settlement followed another agreement by Chemours, DuPont and Corteva to pay $1.19 billion to help resolve thousands of lawsuits.
Only a surprise to brain dead liberals.
Everything they try to make better, they end up actually creating more problems than what they are trying to “fix”.
Nothing says saving the environment like creating more superfund sites...
Like they did with what they used to call "clean burning natural gas" that they forced a lot of power utilities to switch to when forcing them to close coal plants.
Libtards have to pollute the world to save it
As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise.”
Lol. Why would this be surprising? It’s entirely expected.
The old school marxists of the 1930s-1980s had their own obvious ecological disasters, caused by the forced, mandated pursuit of their asinine ideology.
And it seems the Neo-Marxists of the 21st century will have theirs, too.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, western petroleum engineers were hired to modernize the old petroleum extraction methods being used and they were aghast at the pollution they encountered.......................
Specifically, it’s not the battery materials themselves, but additives to make the batteries less flammable.
On a related subject, another article pointed out how hybrids threaten pure electric vehicles. Hybrids don’t need charging stations, so they remove the incentive to build them, which in turn makes the pure EVs less attractive for anything beyond charge-at-home-or-work situations.
Those PFAS chemicals may be picked by those free range chickens and you when you eat chicken and their eggs.
My chickens never leave the yard.................
Environmental desecration!
Exactly, EVs are just a scam.
B...b...but...GREEN!!
This was known and ignored,,,,just like all the unicorn rainbow crap they spew.
Not a dang bit of it works as intended....its all to make you conform.
No one thinks anymore...they just feel.
Is dere any Money in dat dere ‘vironmental engine field?
If there is, I wonder what all their “studies” and Ass.Professors show?
GOD! Help us from these people. And, I call them people while holding my nose.
PFAS coatings are used in every fast-food paper wrapper it is the slick coating on the wrapper. It is also used in nearly every metal can liner it replaced BPA and is the only substitute for it currently. PFAS coatings are also used in nearly every metal nonstick pan and every “Teflon” coated surface. PFAS are also used to make plastic water bottles every last one of them look up micro plastics in HDPE or LDPE bottles. These chemicals are ubiquitous.
The hyperventilating about fluorine is especially lol. Fluoride is the dissolved ion form of elemental or gaseous fluorine...every municipal water District in the USA adds ionic or directly gaseous fluorine to the water supply it’s “healthy” and it’s required by federal law for any water supply over 1000 people. Carbon filters also by law cannot remove it you have to use ion exchange media so no your Britta filter is not taking it out drink up. Some.scientists found PFAS in batteries and are looking for grant money. Let’s talk about PFAS in direct contact with food every day all day them come back to hyperventilating about sealed metal containers. It’s comical how bad actual science has gotten in this country.
NOW! they tells us that electric vehicles are hazardous!
At least we have windmill blades that are not hazardous.
You just bury them...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.