Arizona Tribune - Study Confirms Lead Batteries Are America's Most Recycled Consumer Product, With a 98% Recycling Rate

ALEXANDRIA, VA / ACCESS Newswire / August 6, 2026 / Battery Council International (BCI), the leading trade association representing the global battery manufacturing and recycling industry, has released its latest U.S. Recycling Rate Study that confirms lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the U.S.

Lead batteries are recycled at a rate of nearly 98% - the highest of any product in the nation. The findings underscore the strength of a closed-loop recycling system that has operated for more than 100 years to provide a sustainable source of lead for new batteries, keep spent batteries out of landfills, and protect the U.S. battery supply chain. The long-term recycling rate of lead batteries remains above 99%.

"This isn't just an environmental and safety success story," said Roger Miksad, President and Executive Director of BCI. "The domestic battery industry offers a proven model for critical mineral recovery at a moment when the United States is working to reduce its dependence on foreign sources for the raw materials that power its economy and infrastructure."

BCI's U.S. Recycling Rate Study takes on new significance following the U.S. Geological Survey's late-2025 designation of lead as a critical mineral - and more recently, the July 30 Presidential Determination to control exports of recoverable critical minerals including lead. The United States does not operate a "primary" lead facility, and currently only processes recycled battery materials to supply domestic manufacturers.

The U.S. battery industry directly supports more than 106,000 jobs and generates more than $35 billion in annual business output, and the vast majority of lead used by these domestic manufacturers comes from recycling spent batteries.

Key Findings from BCI's U.S. Recycling Rate Study

• During the 2020-2024 study period, U.S. lead battery recyclers recovered more than 11 billion pounds of lead - 97.7% of the lead that reached the end of its service life in the United States over the study period.

• Domestic battery recycling streams supply roughly 70% of annual U.S. lead demand. When Canadian and Mexican recyclers are included, the North American system meets more than 83% of regional demand.

• Each year, more than 174 million lead batteries are recycled domestically, delivering over 2.2 billion pounds of lead back into the battery manufacturing supply chain.

• The world-class circular system of lead battery recycling depends on extensive physical infrastructure that spans more than 300,000 spent-battery collection sites and 15 recycling facilities across North America, supporting 60 manufacturing facilities and 62 material and component suppliers.

• The U.S. lead battery industry boasts more than 163 GWh of battery production capacity. Within North America, manufacturing capacity grows to 211 GWh.

Learn more by downloading the full U.S. Recycling Rate report.

Lead batteries support functions ranging from emergency backup power for hospitals, 911 call centers, and the U.S. military, to backup power for the data centers powering AI infrastructure, to the roughly 290 million vehicles on U.S. roads.

While the U.S. lead battery industry has substantial direct economic impact, the downstream uses make the impact of batteries even more significant. The broader domestic battery industry collectively powers economic activity valued at approximately $10 trillion annually and is linked to more than 54 million jobs nationwide.

Despite an impressive 98% recycling rate, the industry remains focused on closing the remaining gap, which it attributes in part to unreported or improper exports of scrap batteries. These exports take critical minerals offshore to facilities outside North America that may not meet the region's environmental and safety standards. Through initiatives such as the Lead Battery 360° certification program, launched in 2022 and now encompassing 10 participating facilities, BCI continues to press for responsible sourcing and recycling practices across the global supply chain.

"As the country works to secure the critical minerals that power domestic battery manufacturing, this study shows the power of an industry-built circular economy that keeps key raw materials onshore and protects U.S. supply chains," said BCI's Roger Miksad. "Our task now is to protect that system and to close that remaining gap by building upon more than a century of lead battery recycling success."

For more information on the BCI U.S. Recycling Rate study, contact [email protected].

About Battery Council International

Battery Council International (BCI) is the leading trade association representing the global battery industry. Founded in 1924, BCI advocates and educates on behalf of battery manufacturers and recyclers, marketers and retailers, suppliers of raw materials and equipment, and battery distributors. With a unified voice, BCI conveys an industry-wide commitment to sustainability, safety, and science. BCI unites stakeholders across the battery industry to promote education, science, and advocacy efforts to support the next generation of energy storage solutions. Learn more at https://batterycouncil.org.

SOURCE: Battery Council International

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