| The environmental cost of making the batteries in your smartphone |
| The processing of mining and processing graphite, a key ingredient in lithium-ion batteries, pollutes Chinese waterways and villages, a Washington Post investigation has found. At five towns in two provinces of China, Post journalists heard the same story from villagers living near graphite factories: sparkling night air, damaged crops, homes and belongings covered in soot, polluted drinking water — and government officials inclined to look the other way to benefit a major employer. After leaving Chinese mines and refiners, much of the graphite is sold to Samsung SDI, LG Chem and Panasonic — the three largest manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries. Those companies supply batteries to major consumer companies such as Samsung, LG, General Motors and Toyota. |
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