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Energy and Climate
Protecting Human Rights

Mining Machine

01 End Support for Child Labor

  • Renewable Human Rights Abuse Divestiture: Require the Office of the State Comptroller to divest pension fund investments from cobalt and lithium mining and production, including exploration, extraction, drilling, production, refining, processing, or distribution activities related to cobalt and lithium, for the manufacture of batteries used in large-scale battery storage power stations and the primary propulsion systems for electric vehicles (including, but not limited to, cars, trucks, and boats) because of the widespread human and environmental abuses connected with the mining of these elements (A.4827, Palmesano).

Electric Car Charger

02 Ensure Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

  • Lithium-Ion Health and Toxicity Awareness: Require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to educate about the health and environmental impacts of lithium-ion battery use and manufacture, such as toxicity and contamination resulting from battery leakage or deterioration, environmental impacts of lithium-ion battery casualties and disposal, high-heat fires, and health risks associated with exposure to lithium-ion battery components (A.4848, Palmesano).

  • Lithium-Ion First Responder Safety Commission: Create a commission to study the health and safety risks to first responders concerning fires and other dangers associated with lithium-ion battery casualties, to determine best practices, training, and equipment costs for volunteer fire departments (A.5386, Palmesano).

Image by Bill Mead

03 Safe Solar Panel Disposal 

  • “Solar Panel Collection Act”: Establish a solar panel recycling infrastructure and related protocols. Direct each solar panel manufacturer to, individually or collectively, with other solar panel manufacturers, establish and maintain a program for the collection, transportation, and recycling of out-of-service solar panels (A.5101, Byrnes).

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