National Park “Synevyr” begins to collect used batteries

Did you know that one penlight battery in a river or other body of water may cause pollution of 400 liters of water? And what if it is one billion batteries? The answer is obvious – an ecological disaster.

Where did the figure of one billion come from? According to experts, this is how many batteries are used in Ukraine annually. We need them for cameras, TV remotes, toys, alarm clocks, radios, and more. Most of the used penlight batteries are thrown into ordinary trash bins or in the environment. But in nature, as we know, everything is interconnected. A battery thoughtlessly thrown into the environment decomposes posing a terrible threat. Heavy metals, such as zinc, manganese, lead, mercury and other, poison water and soil, get into the food, causing a variety of diseases which could have been avoided. A person loses immunity and becomes more vulnerable to diseases. Drinking the water poisoned with batteries, we can damage our hearing, sight and even have cancer.

Thus, even a small battery is a threat to the environment and human health. But the situation is not hopeless. Already now news of the opening of new reception centers for collecting waste batteries are coming from all over the country. Transcarpathia is not an exception. In many cities there are special boxes where you can throw unnecessary small power sources. But there are still not enough of them. Such centers must be in every town and village. This is not enough. Boxes for used batteries must be almost in every shop.

But what next? What to do with all this dangerous stuff?
In Lviv there is the state enterprise "Argentum" which takes waste small power sources for disposal. Many organizations have already used these services, thus taking care about the environment and human health.  
National Park "Synevyr" initiated the environmental campaign to collect batteries. In the region they have installed a number of waste bins for small power sources, they are carrying out extensive explanatory work among the population. Some local communities and schools supported the initiative of the National Park "Synevyr" and joined the campaign.

Source – National Park "Synevyr"