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Solar energy leads to pollution of the environment by lead

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021

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01 September 2011, 22:22

Solar energy has a dark side - especially in developing countries.

Chris Cherry of the University of Tennessee (USA) found that the industry is heavily dependent on lead-acid batteries, which alone in China and India lead to the release of more than 2.4 million tons of lead per year (12 kg per 1 kW in China and 8, 5 kg - in India).

Lead poisoning causes numerous adverse health effects, including damage to the kidneys, central nervous, cardiovascular and reproductive systems. In children, the concentration of lead in the blood is associated with impaired ability to learn, as well as hyperactive and aggressive behavior.

Judging by the official state plans for investment in solar energy until 2022, lead pollution will by then reach a third of the current lead production (by 2020 China plans to increase the capacity of the industry by 1.6 GW, and India by 2022 will reach 12 GW). A huge amount flows into the environment during extraction, melting, manufacturing of batteries and their processing. In China, thus, 33% of lead is lost, and in India - 22%.

Recently, incidentally, there were again reports of massive lead poisoning in China in the vicinity of battery processing plants. The country has closed 583 such enterprises.

Mr. Cherry and his colleagues conclude that the authorities forgot about the need to invest in the environmental control of the lead industry. 80% of its products are consumed by the battery industry.

Researchers believe that the example should be provided by solar energy alone: all of its philosophy pushes it to it.

trusted-source [1], [2], [3]

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