The Association of Battery Recyclers (ABR) wants to share its positive impact as Global Recycling Day on March 18 approaches. The Association states that lead battery collection sites and lead battery recyclers has helped create a 99% recycling rate. In turn, a new lead battery is typically comprised of about 80% recycled material from used lead batteries.
“These statistics are especially relevant in this time of supply chain
disruption,” said Rick Leiby, president of ABR. “The U.S. must continue to become more self-sufficient by domestically providing the raw materials needed to maintain advanced lead battery manufacturing in the U.S.”
He added, “Batteries are critical for meeting demand growth in energy
storage, for vital industries such as security, data centers, electrified transportation and renewable energy.”
ABR represents the companies and the thousands of essential employees who safely and responsibly prevent used lead batteries from going to landfills; and in turn, help promote the closed-loop battery
manufacturing and recycling industries. Here are some additional industry facts from ABR:
* 130 million – The number of lead batteries typically diverted from
U.S. landfills annually
* 99% recycling rate – Lead batteries are the most recycled consumer
product in the U.S.
* #1 in sustainability – Lead batteries are the most sustainable
battery chemistry
Lead battery recyclers are essential to what makes the lead battery
industry a model closed-loop manufacturing system. The industry’s
circular economy – and the fact that lead can be infinitely recycled
without loss of performance – minimizes raw inputs and promotes
dependable supply chains. Today, 62% of the lead needed for a new lead battery made in the U.S. is supplied by U.S. lead battery recyclers.
“Our country’s well-established lead battery recycling system has
become the standard for creating a circular economy for all battery
recycling,” Leiby added. “In fact, as demand for battery energy
storage continues to rise, the success of lead battery recycling is the
benchmark for other technologies.”
To educate people about their critical and-often-misunderstood work, ABR has launched a newly redesigned Association of Battery Recyclers website. Viewers can find fact sheets, infographics, videos and more information about the industry’s positive environmental and economic impact using the highest standards in safe, responsible recycling.