Lithium Argumentative Essay

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Lithium is used in many items we use daily, but it may not be the best for us to use (Wanger 202-206). Lithium’s effects can be sorted into the categories; political, economic, environmental, social, and technological. Of these the economic and environmental are the most important to understand. The environmental and economic effects can connect to social, political, and technological effects. We should stop using lithium batteries because the effects will add up and create problems for our society. When using lithium batteries the environmental effect is that water can be polluted, while this is bad for our environment it can also be a risk for our health (Laumer). An economic effect is that the demand for lithium batteries is going up and prices are rising but lithium will most likely not run out (Hanley). Even though it may not run out there may be a shortage of lithium in the future, which we should avoid. Lithium mining can be done by either pumping brine in rivers or hard rock mining ("Lithium Mining"). Lithium mining began in 1817 when it was discovered by a swedish scientist, Johann August Arfvedson it was discovered in Sweden (Jaskula 94-95). Pumping brine is the most effective way to mine for lithium and has caused China and Russia to develop their own resources for producing brine (“Lithium Mining). Though brinne is efficient it may cause water pollution. People involved in …show more content…

When lithium is pumped it can cause substantial water pollution, which can be a risk to human health (Wanger 202-206). Water pollution can lead to the decrease of water availability and when the water is consumed it can give people cyanobacteria (Wanger 202-206). It can also be a potential risk to animals which are drinking from rivers that have water pollution. Also, when a lithium clean up is necessary it can cost a lot of money (Laumer). An example is in Pennsylvania there was a 7 million dollar clean up of an old lab

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