Ecobat gains permit renewal in California

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has granted a 10-year renewal of the Final Operating Hazardous Waste Permit for the lead-acid battery recycling plant operated by Dallas-based Ecobat in City of Industry, California.

Ecobat says the facility  ensures spent batteries generated in California are responsibly recycled in the United States rather than being exported, adding that the City of Industry plant is the only facility in the U.S. west of the Rocky Mountains permitted to recycle spent lead-acid batteries.

“With near-zero emissions enabled by advanced, proprietary process controls and patented wet electrostatic precipitator technology, City of Industry is recognized as the safest, cleanest and most highly-regulated plant of its kind in the world,” says of Dan Kramer, a spokesperson for the Ecobat facility.

According to Ecobat, up to 70,000 tons of lead-acid batteries are exported each year to nations including Mexico, Nigeria and South Korea, where, in some cases, the company says “substandard recycling practices" can harm workers, communities and the environment.

The DTSC’s decision is based on years of technical data and scientific studies and subsequently helps ensure batteries stay within the U.S. regulatory system, Ecobat says.

“The recent U.S. designation of lead as a critical mineral strengthens the case for improving domestic recycling capacity and curbing illegal exports that undermine environmental justice and global sustainability,” Kramer adds.

Building a facility to replace the one in City of Industry would require more than $500 million in investment. The company says it is evaluating opportunities to increase capacity at all three of its North American plants, and anticipates future government support aligned with critical-mineral priorities and secure circular economy supply chains.

The other two Ecobat lead-acid battery recycling plants are in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Middletown, New York.

“This renewal would not be possible without the outstanding people who work at City of Industry every day,” Ecobat President and CEO Tom Slabe says. “Our employees, and generations of skilled Teamsters union members, have built a culture of operational excellence that is unmatched in our industry. We are deeply proud of them and grateful for their commitment to safety, the environment and the communities we serve.”

Ecobat also has expressed appreciation for broad public support from workers, community partners and stakeholders who recognized the essential role the facility can play in battery recycling for decades to come.