News | February 13, 2023
Batteries are like the water in our kitchen faucets. We’ve become so accustomed to the convenience, we take it for granted. That’s why National Battery Day exists. Every year, on Feb. 18, we honor the enormous benefits of batteries and those who make them possible, including domestic lead battery recyclers.
Part of what makes the lead battery recycling industry so important is that demand for energy storage (new batteries) is outpacing supply. They are an irreplaceable link to connect, protect, transport and power our way of life.
It’s estimated that global market growth just for lead batteries will exceed 80,000 MWh between 2020–2030. Many factors are driving that demand. The uses and applications of lead batteries is vast: renewable energy storage, transportation, communication networks , electric vehicles, back-up power for data centers, hospitals and transportation, and more.
To help meet this demand, domestic battery manufacturers are producing millions of new lead batteries annually. In turn, millions of used batteries reach the end of their useful life each year. When they do, America’s lead battery recyclers are there to:
The sustainability of lead batteries truly gives them a regenerative superpower. With a 99% recycling rate, lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the U.S. Furthermore, the lead battery industry is one of the most successful examples of a circular economy.
Using environmentally responsible recycling methods, domestic lead battery recyclers keep valuable battery raw materials in the country for domestic battery manufacturers. On average, a new lead battery contains 80% recycled material obtained from battery recyclers.
In fact, nearly all of the lead, plastics and acid contained in a spent lead battery is recovered and recycled to produce replenished lead for new battery components, plastic for new battery casings, and sodium sulfate that is used in laundry detergent, glass and textile manufacturing. (Click here to see a full list of new products made from recycled lead batteries.)
That collective effort is ensuring a cleaner, green future. Case in point: The essential services provided by our nation’s established network of lead battery recyclers keeps more than 130 million used lead batteries from our landfills each year. It requires an established collection network and dedication to safe, responsible environmental practices, state-of-the art technology and a continuous-improvement philosophy.
Without question, National Battery Day 2023 – and lead battery recycling – is taking on heightened importance this year.
BloombergNEF is a leading provider of forward-thinking primary research and analysis on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy. The company’s recent article,
Top 10 Energy Storage Trends in 2023, outlines how the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 will positively impact the battery industry. The IRA will allocate more than $80 billion in new investments for the battery supply chain and inject at least $369 billion into the country’s clean energy economy.
The Association of Battery Recyclers has taken note. Its members are poised and ready to support the lead battery industry as it continues to provide advanced, sustainability energy storage solutions. That’s all the more reason to say ‘thanks’ on National Battery Day.
