The Battery Council International (BCI) recognizes the millions of Americans who have turned in their used - or spent - lead-acid batteries for recycling, making lead-acid batteries one of the country's most highly recycled products. BCI is a not-for-profit organization representing the lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling industry. Among its services, the organization tracks the lead recycling rate from spent automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, garden tractor and other lead-acid batteries.
Motorists like this one, who turned in his old battery when he bought a new one, help make battery lead one of the most highly recycled materials in the country, according to Battery Council International.
The battery industry reclaims 93 percent of the lead from spent car, truck, motorcycle and other lead-acid batteries, using it to produce new batteries. The lead in the typical new battery has been - and will continue to be - recycled many, many times.
According to a BCI Recycling Rate Study, covering 1995 through 1999, the battery industry captured and recycled 93.3 percent of the lead from spent lead-acid batteries, including automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, garden tractor and other lead-acid batteries. The high recycling rate is a direct result of cooperation by motorists who either turned in the spent batteries when they purchased new ones, or cleaned out old batteries from garages or storage sheds during spring clean up and Earth Day activities. Under the industry's collection and recycling program, consumers, retailers and members of the battery industry collaborate to capture lead, plastic and even battery acid from spent batteries and reclaim them for use in new batteries.
When a spent battery is collected, it is sent to a permitted recycler where, under strict environmental regulations, the lead and plastic are reclaimed and reused in the manufacture of new lead batteries. The recycling cycle goes on indefinitely.
"We in the battery industry want to acknowledge the consumers who have made the effort to return their spent batteries," said Ron Pogue, president of BCI. "While we have the infrastructure to collect spent batteries and a market for the recycled materials, the model simply wouldn't work if consumers didn't do their part by turning in spent batteries for recycling."
BCI has been tracking the recycling rate of battery lead since 1987. The recycling rate of battery lead has consistently ranked higher than other recyclable commodities including newspapers, aluminum cans, and plastic and glass bottles.
The lead-acid battery industry is the country's largest user of lead. Battery Council International was instrumental in helping pass model lead-acid battery recycling laws that prohibit the disposal of spent lead-acid batteries and require batteries to be collected through a take-back program. Today, those laws are on the books in 42 states. "Lead-acid battery recycling in the U.S. is one of the environmental success stories of the 20th century," said Mr. Pogue. "It proves that when consumers are properly motivated and all of the components are in place, the industry collection and recycling program is a model that works successfully to protect the environment and save money."
