Lead batteries on sea bottom

[NAM001]

But if intentional, why? Most dealers will take an old battery in for recycling when you buy a new one.

but not if you drop one off they want a recycling fee to do it.

 

[Vicko]

In a navy shipyard here they had to organize a cleanup of the docks as they were getting to shallow due to all the batteries on the bottom.

 

[happy-diver]

Considering this is a standard Optima battery ONLY with carry handle but with
terminal clamps and wires still attached, perhaps you could cast your minds to
something dastardly, having occurred to what once surrounded it detectives!!!

 

[tarponchik]

Dumping old lead acid batteries in the sea would not make economic sense, aside from the morality of it. Lead isn't a 'precious metal', but it's precious enough! Anyone who sells batteries or buys scrap metal will be happy to take them. OTOH, they are not a particularly dangerous pollutant compared to the modern stuff. Melt it down for extra weights!

I'm not worried much about the lead pollution side of this because lost lead sinkers weigh way more in totality, and in any case most of the lead polution in the ocean probably comes from the use of leaded gasoline, past and present. It's just ugly and useless. A cinder block may not be an eye candy either but it will be overgrown with coral and polyps eventually. However, objects like batteries in their plastic cases or used tires will forever stay foreign to marine life and landscape.

 

[tarponchik]

Until 1990, the USCG dumped the batteries from the ATONs directly under the ATONs. It is a long and honored practice.

So what happened in 1990?

 

[Wookie]

So what happened in 1990?

The coast guard stopped dumping batteries in the ocean....

 

[Rred]

"Dumping old lead acid batteries in the sea would not make economic sense,"
But it DID make economic sense, for many years, for many users. As the USCG used to do. If you take those batteries out of buoys and bring them back ashore for recycling, that's time and labor. And potential injuries from acid and back strains and crushed toes. Time and money, all versus a pittance for the price of returning scrap lead.
Now, that changed *somewhat* when the US (and other venues) imposed things like a core charge, to encourage recycling. Changed more with penalties for dumping lead at sea. Changed a little as scrap lead prices have gone up. But the point being--it did, and ignoring legal penalties or fines (anyone looking?) it still can make sense to just dump the old batteries.

But in the case of one "car" size battery at sea, more likely someone's dinghy just swamped or overturned and they're still saying "Damn it! I lost the battery!" Even if they were using a battery box and strapped it down, they could have just been passing a battery from a dinghy to the main boat to recharge it--and dropped it.

The question is, did the OP do the responsible thing and bring that battery back for recycling? (VBG)

 

[Bob DBF]

In a navy shipyard here they had to organize a cleanup of the docks as they were getting to shallow due to all the batteries on the bottom.

And I thought it was the coffee mugs.


Bob

 

[Compressor]

Recently I was diving in Florida and saw lots of batteries on the bottom. For good or bad, they were all covered in coral and some sponges.

 

[tarponchik]

The question is, did the OP do the responsible thing and bring that battery back for recycling? (VBG)

I normally pick up trash whenever I can, but such battery is too heavy.