in Vernon Township / the City of Durand
The Shiawassee Megasite
Residents and neighbors of Durand and Vernon Township fight to protect prime farmland, clean waterways, and the integrity of their beautiful agricultural community.
EV Solid-State Battery Manufacturing Materials & Impacts
Solid-State batteries contain largely the same materials as liquid-state:
- Lithium carbonate, “may be a teratogen,” and is on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List and Special Hazardous Health Substance List
- Primary synthetic graphite, which “is considered hazardous according to OSHA”
- Iron phosphate - “a strong oxidizing agent” which “should not be released into the environment”
- N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), “May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure”, “reproductive harm” Gotion says they will make LFP batteries, although materials used in more dangerous NMC batteries have been cited by Gotion rep as being needed–such as cobalt, manganese, and nickel
- Lithium fields and rare earth leeching are devastating to the environment, putting large amounts of chemicals into the earth; it's also tied to slave labor. Some critical EV mineral supply chains have been linked with terrorist organizations.
Known environmental impacts
- water intake and wastewater output unknown; the project's phase 2 will reportedly require water to be brought in from outside the area
- no environmental impact study (EIS) has been provided to date
- light pollution will disrupt migratory patterns of birds
- light pollution will block aurora borealis and night sky visibility
- some "acceptable minimum quantity" of lithium carbonate will enter the local ecosystem
- air quality will be polluted from the local highways and roads will experience a constant stream of freight trucks
