Slimes and Sludges, battery scrap, antimony- and lead-rich

Ecotoxicological Summary

Conclusion on classification

ENVIRONMENTAL CLASSIFICATION OF SLIMES AND SLUDGES BATTERY SCRAP SB PB RICH

1. Introduction and approach

The lead intermediate is identified as follows

Substance: Slimes and sludges battery scrap antimony and lead rich   “Slimes and sludges battery scrap antimony and lead rich are made by aqueous alkaline leaching of the majority of the sulphate from the lead-containing material recovered from recycled lead-acid batteries. The lead is mainly present as carbonates. Also other lead compounds, such as lead oxides, lead sulphate and lead silicate, and lead in metallic form may be present.”
EC number/ EINECS No.	CAS No.
310-061-8	102110-60-1

 

Slimes and sludges battery scrap Sb Pb rich is considered as a complex metal containing substance.

The self classification of the UVCB substance (in accordance to the EU hazard classification system (CLP, 2009)) was performed based on below outline.

Characterization

The material is accurately described from its elemental composition (maximum of typical concentrations and concentration ranges across production sites –IUCLID Section 1.2) and the specific speciation data (mineralogical information) obtained from one or more representative sample(s) (IUCLID Section 4.23). This information is enough to initiate the classification process.

 

Classification by the Mixture Approach

The UVCB is treated as a complex metal containing substance with a number of discrete constituent compounds (metals, metal compounds, non-metal inorganic compounds). The hazard classification of each compound is then factored into a combined classification of the UVCB as a whole (application of CLP mixture rules). For environmental endpoints, additivity and/or summation algorithms are applied to quantitatively estimate the mixture’s toxicity to aquatic organisms. These concepts and rules are incorporated in easy to use IT tools (e.g. ARCHE CLP tool), which can be used to classify the UVCB.

 

Bridging or Read-Across

Ecotoxicological data are not available for the specific UVCB being evaluated. Considering the knowledge and variability in composition, read-across and bridging is done by using a "representative mineralogical/speciation analysis" (chemical and mineralogical surrogates with similar origin/production process and physical/chemical properties) combined with the maximum of typicals (across industry) as a basis for the classification of the UVCB substance.

 

Eventual correction

No correction for (bio)availability was made.

 

 

2. Summary of the chemistry

 

The chemistry and mineralogy of two reference samples of Slimes and sludges battery scrap Sb Pb rich was assessed by Kravtsov et al, 2010 (see IUCLID Section 1.4 & Section 4.23).

 

The mineralogy of the reference samples was not only used to derive the classification of both samples but also to derive the classification of other Slimes and sludges battery scrap Sb Pb rich samples. Therefore a Reasonable Worst Case (RWC) scenario was deduced based upon the mineralogy of the two reference samples (note: RWC scenario = OR25). Also some assumptions regarding the mineralogical form had to be made for constituents where no mineralogical data was available. The RWC scenario and the assumptions that were made to derive the classification can be found in the calculator sheet, attached as background material in IUCLID Section 4.23.

 

More information about the approach that was followed for classifying the lead intermediates can be found in the explanatory document, attached in IUCLID Section 1.4.

 

 

3. Conclusion environmental classification

 

The classification is based on the summation of classified components (lower tier hazard classification in accordance to the EU hazard classification system (CLP, 2009)).

 

For all studied Slimes and sludges battery scrap Sb Pb rich samples an “Acute Cat. 1; H400” and a “Chronic Cat. 1; H410” classification has been derived. Nevertheless some relevant differences in human health classification between the studied samples have been observed. This resulted in a division in two grades. The differences in human health classification are explained in the summary of section 7.

 

An overview of the derived classifications and the key drivers is given in the table below.

 

 

SLIMES AND SLUDGES BATTERY SCRAP SB PB RICH
Key drivers for environ-mental classification	Applied M factor in calculations	Typical concentrations (conform to IUCLID section 1.2)
		Grade 1 - General grade	Grade 2 – ‘Lower carcinogenic potential’ grade
Pb compounds	10	<= 65.97% (max total % Pb = 75.2%; 87.73% of Pb in compounds form)	<= 65.97% (max total % Pb = 75.2%; 87.73% of Pb in compounds form)
Aquatic classifications
CLP		Acute Category 1; H400 Chronic Category 1; H410	Acute Category 1; H400 Chronic Category 1; H410
DSD		N; R50-53	N; R50-53