Environmental Issues Regarding Electric Forklift Batteries
The electric forklift is generally considered more safe and stable compared to diesel and gas powered internal combustion engines. Both gas and diesel engines pose a fire risk and emit harmful exhaust toxins. The electric lift truck is not without is hazards though. They have rechargeable batteries as their source of power, and batteries can present risks to personal safety as well as to the natural environment. There are risks connected with the disposal, storage, manufacture and use of rechargeable batteries for lift trucks.
Manufacturing
Nearly all lift truck batteries are made by placing lead plates into a sulfuric acid solution. These are called lead-acid rechargeable batteries. Lead is toxic which, when used in manufacturing processes, poses hazards to the quality of water due to runoff and drainage. When lead enters a water system it can cause different types of health issues to living beings and can even lead to death. The sulfuric acid utilized in forklift batteries is very harmful to skin and can lead to severe burns. Sulfuric acid also produces harmful fumes that can cause damage to both humans and the natural world.
Normal Use and Storage
Lead-acid batteries could produce hydrogen gas as a chemical byproduct when recharging. When recharging batteries for any types of vehicle or a forklift, smoking, sparks, flames and heat must be kept well away from the recharging site. The flammable hydrogen can lead to an explosion if ignited by heat or flame.
If it come into contact with bare skin, sulfuric acid in the batteries could lead to chemical burns. This is not an issue during normal use of the battery, but if a battery is damaged or punctured, the acid could leak or spray, potentially burning anybody who is nearby.
Disposal
Improper disposal of lead-acid batteries should always be avoided. These batteries must be recycled correctly or reused in new batteries so that the sulfuric acid could either be recycled or neutralized. To avoid the serious environmental consequences of wrong disposal, all lead-acid batteries sold or purchased in the United States include a "core charge" which will just be returned if the used battery is turned in.