The lead-acid battery industry recycled 97.1 percent of spent battery lead (or 10.5 billion pounds of lead) from 1997 to 2001, according to a new report issued today by Battery Council International.
Battery Council International, a not-for-profit organization that represents the international lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling industry, has tracked the lead recycling rate from spent (or used) automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, garden tractor and other lead-acid batteries since 1987.
"The lead-acid battery recycling structure has been proven to be efficient and highly successful, and no other battery chemistry can come near the recycling rate of lead-acid batteries," said Keith Wandell, president of BCI.
Historically, the recycling rate of battery lead has consistently ranked higher than other recyclable commodities. The EPA Web site shows the year 2000 recycling rates of other materials:
Along with the lead and plastic from spent batteries, lead-acid battery recyclers also reclaim scrap lead from the production process and return the materials to manufacturers for use in new batteries. In a continuous cycle, the battery industry reclaims and reuses lead and plastic, keeping these materials out of the waste stream.Get curated news on YOUR industry.
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