Gestión integrada de pilas y baterías usadas factibilidad ambiental, tecnica y operative

Abstract

Isolated and specific awareness and collection actions aren't enough, it is necessary to build integrated and sustainable management systems of this waste as part of the structures of the urban solid waste integrated management from municipal governments. SGAB – Focus Cities Project, with Canada’s IDRC support, based on the studies carried out in May 2010, implemented as a pilot experience the "Dry used regular and cellular phone environmental management plan” in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia. The proposed plan installed 700 containers for used regular and cellular phone batteries collection in educational units, health establishments, condominiums, residential areas, buildings, commercial and Government institutions, where a trained volunteer took the responsibility for the container as well awareness activities directed to the neighbors and surrounding areas. The collection was conducted on a regular basis every four to five months and when the container was filled. At the same time the awareness and environmental education and training plan concerning this system for the whole population, for teachers as diffusers and operational staff, was implemented through courses, lectures, printed and digital material, participating in environmental fairs, social networks and other environmental, social and scientific events. During 17 months of operation of the “Dry used regular and cellular phone batteries pilot plan of Integrated management” as well as all its components (technical, environmental, socio-cultural, legal policy, economic, financial, etc.) and all its operational phases (collection, collection, transportation and storage) have been evaluated to improve each of them and the system in general. In addition, characterization studies of types, brands, composition and other characteristics on the collected batteries have been carried out simultaneously. Currently the pilot proposal is sufficiently perfected to become part of the municipal integrated solid waste management system of Cochabamba, as well as its concepts and bases to be applied in other Bolivian and Latin-American cities.