Encl. (7) to COMTINST 16478.12
Additionally, on April 21, 1994, the Coast Guard finished a clean up of the
former Anclote Key Light, removing approximately 180 primary batteries from the
land site near Tampa. The clean up was conducted with concurrence from Anclote
Key State Park Officials.
All of the recovered batteries are being recycled or properly disposed of
through a contract with the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service.
The Coast Guard is working cooperatively with officials of the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and is keeping state officials appraised
of survey findings and battery removals.
With the assistance of the Volpe Center, the Coast Guard is developing a
national response plan for ATON batteries. Data collected from this study will
be analyzed and used to develop standard procedures for battery recovery and
site safety. In addition, evaluations will be made to determine the most
efficient and cost effective methods for ATON battery recovery.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
The U.S. Coast Guard operates approximately 16,500 lighted aids to navigation
(ATON) consisting primarily of fixed navigational lights and buoys. ATON are
located throughout the country on navigable waterways and in U.S. territorial
waters in other parts of the world. Before the 1980's, lighted ATON were
powered by various types and sizes of "one time use" wet cell/gel cell
"primary" batteries. In the mid-1980's, the Coast Guard began converting most
of its lighted ATON to solar power, substantially reducing its reliance on
expendable batteries.
Prior to the 1970's, the Coast Guard, like the rest of the nation, did not have
the environmental awareness that exists today. Although before 1973 there were
no directives that said what to do with used batteries, it was never Coast
Guard policy to dispose of them in the water. In 1973, the Coast Guard issued
instructions that set procedures for battery recycling and proper disposal.
A small number of ATON batteries continue to get into the water when lighted
ATON are hit by vessels, destroyed by bad weather or vandalized. It is Coast
Guard policy to immediately report accidental battery losses to federal, state
and local environmental authorities when required and to recover the batteries
whenever safely possible. The Coast Guard is developing methods to better
attach batteries to lighted aids to prevent future losses and facilitate
retrieval.
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