Hybrid batteries reduce reliance on fossil fuels but it also has its own environmental impacts.

Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited Chief Executive and Pacific Recycling Foundation founder Amitesh Deo says the organization has been pushing for a feasibility study on hybrid vehicle batteries and end of life vehicles in general to gauge its impact on our natural environment.

Deo says hybrid vehicles operate on lithium-ion batteries which contain toxic metals that will become harmful to the environment when they eventually end up in landfills.

“We don’t have a mechanism to deal with it. The policy and law around it needs to become much more clearer so that the responsibility around it goes to the buyer. We need to address this in a holistic way. End of life vehicle is also sensitive in that there’s components like battery acid, oil and all these things that we need to know how to deal with.”

Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited Chief Executive and Pacific Recycling Foundation founder Amitesh Deo. 

Deo says WRFL and PRF has made a submission to government, calling for a research and business model to be developed to identify a sustainable solution to this issue.