Scrap,lead merchants

Although lead has been classified for many years as a hazardous product, the main driver behind the recycling of lead-acid batteries is the value of lead as a tradeable commodity. Lead and its products form part of the scrap-metal family (with aluminium, zinc, and copper and its alloys) that has been the focus of scrap-metal merchants for many years. Throughout the world, efficient scrap networks and channels exist to supply the recycler with raw materials such as aluminium cans, copper wire, and lead-acid batteries. 

Early secondary battery smelting was carried out in small-scale operations, often by the scrap-metal merchants themselves. Whilst most of the small operations have now been phased out in Western countries via either closure or consolidation, small-scale smelting practices still exist in many Asian countries, e.g., India, China and Indonesia. Even in these countries, where recycle rates are very high, price is the driving influence on the scrap-metal industry. This applies no less to the recovery of lead. 

Scrap metal Merchant involvement in this sector has been considered at some length earlier. Scrap metal merchants are active at various stages in the lead scrap collection chain, normally dealing in a range of recycled materials. In most regions, commercial and environmental pressures have severely reduced the number of merchants trading in lead scrap in recent years. 

Italy. The consortium, COBAT, was created in 1988 with the responsibility for collection and marketing of used batteries, the re-treatment of collected batteries if market economics are not effective, and the research and development for cleaner recycling of spent batteries. The consortium comprises secondary lead smelters, battery manufacturers, scrap merchants, and battery retailers. The customer pays a fee on each battery, and this is used to fund COBAT. 

Metal Bulletin publishes indicative lead scrap prices for the UK maricet and (since 1992) for the European market, on a weekly basis. The prices quoted are considered to be representative of business between the largest merchants and scrap consumers, and are normally related to a specific LME session. For the UK market. Metal Bulletin provides quotations (on a delivered consumer basis) for the following types of lead scrap soft scrap, battery plates, and whole batteries. In addition, a price for lead ashes and residues is indicated, which is based on the LME price, net of a treatment charge. For the European market, prices are provided for soft lead scrap and drained batteries (on a cif Rotterdam basis). A similar range of regular lead scrap price information is provided for other regional markets by their own locally-based publications like American Metal Market and Metals Week in North America, and by Japan Metal Bulletin. 

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