Flow of Cadmium from Rechargeable Batteries in the United States, 1996-2005

By David Wilburn

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Abstract Cadmium metal has been found to be toxic to humans and the environment under certain conditions; therefore, a thorough understanding of the use and disposal of the metal is warranted. Most of the cadmium used in the United States comes from imported products. In 2005, more than 80 percent of the cadmium used in the United States was contained in batteries, mostly in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries used in popular consumer products such as cordless phones and power tools. The flow of cadmium contained in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries used in the United States was tracked for the years 1996 to 2005. The amount of cadmium metal contained in imported products in 2004 was estimated to be about 3,000 metric tons, or about three times the reported cadmium production in the United States from all primary and secondary sources. More than 40,000 metric tons of cadmium were estimated to be contained in rechargeable batteries that became obsolete during the 10-year study period. As much as 11 percent of this material was recycled, and the balance was placed in municipal solid waste landfills. For more information concerning the report, please contact the author.