Battery Disposal

Malik Wilson, Javier Vasquez, Esra Zahra, Melissa Zhang

Ozarka

Mission Statement: Our mission is to produce a wonderfully pure drinking water

sold at a reasonable price to customers in the midwest and around the world.
Ozarka is a spring water bottler and distributor

Water comes from 3 springs in Texas:

Roher Spring
Moffitt Spring
Piney Woods Springs

Texas Campaign for the Environment

Mission: Empowering Texans to fight pollution through sustained grassroots
organizing campaigns that shift corporate and governmental policy.

DFW
Austin
Houston

Previous success:
Feb. 2015 - Houston Curbside Recycling

Batteries Are Everywhere

Batteries are essential to everyday lifestyle. Without batteries, we wouldnt be able

to use our cellphones, computers, calculators, etc.
Batteries contain several chemicals & metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium
that are hazardous to the environment.
Landfills and groundwater may eventually become contaminated if a battery isnt
correctly disposed of.

Community Need

Batteries are rarely recycled

Battery toxins pollute lakes and
rivers
Consumer battery recycling rates
range from around 2% - 7%
(Gabor, n.d.) (Woodbank, 2005).
Recycling batteries reduces stress
on the environment.

Environmental Effects Associated With Battery Disposal

The harmful substances of batteries permeate into soil, groundwater and surface
water.
Releases toxins into the air once burnt

Side effects of metals associated with batteries:

-

Nausea
Abdominal pain
Liver and kidney damage
Skin irritation
Burns affecting eyes and skin.

Current Event: Flint Water Crisis

When: April 2014 - present

Where: Flint, Michigan
What: Primary source of water supply switched
Who: 6,000 to 12,000 children were diagnosed with high
blood-lead levels
How: Water source was discovered to be contaminated
with lead, a chemical found in batteries.

Boxes for Batteries

Recycling Bin Attachments

Process

1. Recycling attachments and

how to use cards will be
distributed to test areas
2. Dead batteries will be put
inside the recycling
attachments
3. Dead batteries will be picked
up along with garbage or
recycling

Test Areas
Expected participation rates:
Ages 18-34 (33%)
Ages 35+ (48%)
Ages 65+ (54%)

Richardson
Garland
Highland Park
Oak Cliff

Staffing

Recycling attachment
distributors
Waste Management
Employees
The Community

Why Our Solution

Research: Inconvenience (travel distance/difficulty) of recycling is a deterrent.

Well-implemented curbside recycling has a high participation rate.

Curbside recycling is highly familiar and has established logistics and
employment.
We want to take an innovative lead on what we recycle at the curb.

Travel: Battery dispensaries, post offices

Difficulty: Mailing process, lack of information

Budget
Texas Campaign for the Environment, & participating cities: $20,000
Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce: $20,000
Each residential address in the test areas will receive a plastic bin
attachment where theyll be able to dispose their batteries correctly
Each commercial area within a 3 mile radius of each other will have a
specific recycle bin for batteries

Total Cost: $40,000

Budget Breakdown

Conclusion