Lead batteries are recycled at a rate of almost 98% in the US, making them the country’s most recycled consumer product, according to a new study from Battery Council International (BCI).
BCI’s latest US Recycling Rate Study found that recyclers recovered more than 11 billion pounds (5 million tonnes) of lead during the 2020–2024 study period. This represented 97.7% of the lead contained in batteries reaching the end of their service life in the US.
The long-term recycling rate for lead batteries remains above 99%, BCI said.
“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.”
More than 174 million lead batteries are recycled domestically each year, returning over 2.2 billion pounds (998,000 tonnes) of lead to the battery manufacturing supply chain.
Domestic recycling provides approximately 70% of annual US lead demand. Including recyclers in Canada and Mexico, the North American closed-loop system supplies more than 83% of regional demand.
The recycling network comprises more than 300,000 spent-battery collection sites and 15 recycling facilities across North America. It supports 60 battery manufacturing facilities and 62 material and component suppliers.
BCI said the US lead battery industry has more than 163GWh of annual production capacity, increasing to 211GWh across North America.
The report comes after the US Geological Survey designated lead as a critical mineral in late 2025 and a Presidential Determination on 30 July sought to control exports of recoverable critical minerals, including lead.
The US has no operating primary lead production facility and relies on recycled battery materials to supply domestic manufacturers.
The country’s lead battery industry directly supports more than 106,000 jobs and generates over $35 billion in annual business output, according to BCI. Lead batteries are used in applications including vehicles, hospitals, 911 call centres, military infrastructure and data centres.
BCI: the industry continues to close the remaining recycling gap
BCI said the industry was continuing efforts to close the remaining recycling gap, which it attributed partly to unreported or improper exports of scrap batteries. Such exports remove critical minerals from North America and may send batteries to facilities operating under weaker environmental and safety standards.
The Lead Battery 360° certification programme, launched in 2022, now encompasses 10 participating facilities and promotes responsible sourcing and recycling practices throughout 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 US supply chains,” said 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.”
