Recycling of Spent Lead-Acid Batteries

Lead is used in batteries, inorganic chemicals, pipes, solders, electric wires, etc., but batteries accounted for 72% of the total usage of lead in 1997. Therefore it can be said that batteries play an important role in the recycling of lead. Lead-acid batteries are classified into motor vehicle batteries (for automobiles and motorcycles), industrial batteries (stationary batteries, traction batteries, etc.), small-size sealed batteries (for UPS and consumer products). Table 2.1 shows their shipments. 

It seems that the total shipment of lead-acid batteries has remained at much the same level in the past five years and that motor vehicle batteries, which accounted for 76.5% of all lead-acid batteries in 1997, have seen few changes, while industrial batteries and small-size sealed batteries have tended to gradually increase and gradually decrease, respectively. 

Recycling of Lead-Acid Batteries for Automobiles and Motorcycles 

Five lead-acid battery manufacturers announced a Lead Recycling Program in October 1996 and have implemented it. The main points of the program are as follows. 

The collection rate is expressed as collection/waste x 100 (%) . In 1997, collection rate of spent lead-acid batteries was 95%. 

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The need for recycling of spent lead-acid batteries has been obvious for long time and did not need a political push. The recycling rate is near 100%, a result of contracts between user and supplier. The time when the user got reimbursement for lead batteries has passed because the recycling costs have increased partly due to the fact that the smelters have to fulfill many expensive measures against pollution. But this should be no reason for the user not to return the batteries and to avoid pollution despite the costs. 

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