In a report yesterday, Mattel has decided to replace all nickel-cadmium batteries with nickel-metal hydride.

Toys “R” Us, Inc., has also gotten into the act and asked all manufacturers that produce toys exclusively for them, to stop using nickel-cadmium batteries. We say that’s a good thing.

Nickel-cadmium batteries are extremely toxic to produce. The environmental and health impact of production, which is primarily done in China, is profound. In December of 2005, it was reported that about 300 million in China’s rural areas drink water contaminated with chemicals and toxins, one of them being cadmium. And, 90% of China’s cities have contaminated ground water. I have to wonder how much cadmium travels in the air plume from China to the US.

Cadmium is toxic to the kidney and liver. It is a neurotoxin and is classified as a probable carcinogen. It can also contribute to osteoporosis (thin bones). It can be breathed in through industrial contamination or in cigarette smoke. Industrial run-off contaminates ground water which can then end up in drinking water and waterways, and, potentially in the food chain such as crops and wildlife. In the CDC 2005 Exposure to Environmental Chemicals report, 5% of U.S. adults over age 20 had cadmium levels in urine nearing levels of health concern though it was contributed primarily to tobacco smoke.

Europe banned cadmium in electronics in July of 2006 and in materials and vehicle parts in July or 2003. The US has transferred most of its cadmium battery production to China, transferring the environmental and health risks as well.

Now that I’ve rambled on about that, the one thing that we can do our bit on is recycling rechargeable batteries in a way that’s safe for the environment and us. That means, please, don’t throw your old cell phones, lap tops, rechargeable electronic gadgets and remote control toys in the trash can. Recycle! You can check out Rechargeable Battery Recycling Center (RBRC) for a recycling center near you.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!