Battery powered vehicles produce no air pollution at the point of use. If the electricity is generated in a distant place, these cars are a means of switching the location of, and possibly reducing, emissions. We are examining the current and near term life cycle consequences of producing and reprocessing lead-acid batteries to power electric cars. Smelting and recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of a neurotoxin, leading to reduced cognitive function and behavioral problems. Even at low blood levels, environmental discharges of lead are a major concern.
Lead releases to the environment from production and recycling are uncertain.
There is wide disagreement on the quantity of lead released to the air per unit of lead handled. In contrast to the small ozone related benefits from BPV, the potential environmental problems are considerable. Mining, smelting, and recycling more than 500 kg of batteries per vehicle would result in lead releases 80 times greater per vehicle mile than a gasoline powered vehicle with a current starter battery. We estimate total lead discharges to be 6.5 Gg to 14.6 Gg with 1,625 to 1,625,000 kg emitted to the air. Stringent regulation presumably could lower these discharges.