Sony Goes Eco/Human-Friendly With Mercury-Free Battery

In an effort to make a product that is much more friendly to the environment, not to mention human beings in general, Japan’s electronic giant Sony has developed a new mercury-free alkaline button battery. Sony announced it’s plans commercialize a total of six different models of batteries that contain no mercury and release the models sometime in Fall/2009.

Aside from being harmful to the environment, Mercury is also highly toxic to human beings. Mercury poisoning, which has proven to be fatal, can occur from accidentally ingesting batteries, inhalation of mercury vapour, or eating fish contaminated with mercury. Alkaline button batteries typically use a small quantity of mercury to prevent battery leak caused by hydrogen gas build-up. The new battery mixes absorbent raw material into the battery’s cathode in place of mercury, and when combined with existing technology, prevents the build-up of hydrogen gas. According to Sony, this new model of battery will result in a reduction of 470kg worth of mercury production from Sony annually.

Pricing on the new eco-friendly models has yet to be determined by Sony. As noted, you can look for the new batteries to be made available sometime this fall.