Benefits | Sustainable
EPA reports that lead batteries have a 99 percent recycling rate.
“Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2014 Fact Sheet,” Environmental Protection Agency, Nov. 2016
Every new lead battery is comprised of more than 80 percent recycled lead.
“Environmental Impact and Life Cycle Assessment of Lead Battery and Architectural Sheet Production,” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2016
Lead batteries improve sustainability in applications, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions in vehicles with start-stop engines as well as cutting fuel consumption by up to 10 percent.
International Lead Association, 2017
Benefits | Essential
Lead batteries provide 75% of the world’s rechargeable battery capacity.
“The Rechargeable Battery Market and Main Trends 2014-2025,” Avicenne Energy, March 2015
Every mass-produced vehicle (nearly 270 million) in the U.S. relies on lead batteries.
“Vehicles-in-Operation,” IHS Markit, July 2017
Lead batteries safely transport Americans via public transportation 35 million times each weekday.
American Public Transportation Association, 2017
The New York Stock Exchange relies on lead battery backup power to protect its critical online data.
“Berks a Major Player in Worldwide Battery Production,” Reading Eagle, July 2017
Benefits | Innovative
By 2020, half of all new vehicles made in the U.S. will use lead battery-enabled start-stop technology. This is the equivalent to the annual energy usage of 211,000 U.S. households.
International Lead Association, 2017
Benefits | Safe
The Sustainable Consortium’s 2017 Impact Report highlights the lead battery industry’s strong record on worker health and safety.
“2017 Impact Report,” The Sustainability Consortium, 2017
Modern closed-loop recycling safely keeps more than 122 million lead batteries from landfills each year.
“National Recycling Rate Study,” Battery Council International, 2017
Benefits | Reliable
35 million times each weekday, lead batteries help transport Americans via public transportation
American Public Transportation Association, 2017
Circular Economy
Research shows that 62% of U.S. firms are planning to move to a circular economy. The lead battery industry leads the curve by being in the 16% who already have.
Opportunity and Disruption: How Circular Thinking Could Change US Business Models, ING Americas, Jan. 2019
A new lead battery is comprised of over 80% recycled material.
“Environmental Impact and Life Cycle Assessment of Lead Battery and Architectural Sheet Production,” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2016
By 2050, a more circular economy can cut emissions from heavy industry by 56% in the EU alone.
The Circular Economy – A Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation, Material Economics, 2018
Global competition for finite resources will intensify as world population and economies grow.
Epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-basics, Environmental Protection Agency, 2019
70% – The approximate amount of lead that U.S. lead battery manufacturers source domestically from recycling facilities in the U.S.
Data provided by Principal Analyst, Lead Markets at Wood Mackenzie, 2019
$4.5 trillion – The predicted amount of additional economic output generated by the circular economy by 2030.
Waste to Wealth: Creating Advantage in a Circular Economy, Accenture, 2015
The world entrusts 75% of its rechargeable energy storage needs to lead batteries.
The Rechargeable Battery Market and Main Trends 2016-2025, Avicenne Energy, Oct. 2017
The EPA ranks lead batteries as the most recycled product in the U.S.
Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2014 Fact Sheet, Environmental Protection Agency, Nov. 2016
Modern, closed-loop recycling keeps more than 122 million lead batteries from landfills each year.
National Recycled Rate Study, Battery Council International, 2017
In recognition of the challenges and need to recycle lithium-ion batteries, the U.S. Department of Energy has established a $5.5 million prize to “accelerate the development of [lithium-ion battery recycling] solutions from concept to prototype to demonstration.”
Energy Department Announces Battery Recycling Prize and Battery Recycling R&D Center, Department of Energy, Jan. 2019
Lead batteries have a 99.3% recycling rate, the highest of any consumer product in the U.S.
National Recycled Rate Study, Battery Council International, 2017
Lead batteries rank among the top five consumer product categories in sustainability.
2017 Impact Report, The Sustainability Consortium, 2017
Solutions | Start-Stop Technology
By 2020, it is predicted that start-stop technology utilizing lead batteries will help eliminate 2 million tons of vehicle greenhouse gas emissions annually in the U.S. This is equivalent to the annual energy use of 211,000 average U.S. households.
International Lead Association, 2017
Solutions | Start-Stop Vehicles Infographic
Automakers favor lead batteries for starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) functions.
ALABC.org, The Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium, 2019
Between 2016 – 2020, start-stop vehicles surge from 25 million to 65 million vehicles in North America, Europe and China.
Johnson Controls, 2016
By the end of 2019, 40% of passenger cars sold in the U.S. will have start-stop systems, compared to 9.1% in 2016.
“Start-stop Systems on U.S. Light Trucks Doubled to One in Five in A Single Year,” Green Car Reports, Feb. 2018
By 2020, most new cars will be equipped with start-stop technology.
Johnson Controls, 2016
In 2017, 20% of light trucks sold in the U.S. had start-stop, compared to 10% in 2016.
“Start-stop Systems on U.S. Light Trucks Doubled to One in Five in A Single Year,” Green Car Reports, Feb. 2018
By 2020, it is predicted that start-stop technology utilizing lead batteries will help eliminate 2 million tons of vehicle greenhouse gas emissions annually in the U.S. This is equivalent to the annual energy use of 211,000 average U.S. households.
International Lead Association, 2017
Solutions | Vehicles
65% of all forklifts in the U.S. are powered by lead batteries.
“Top 20 Industrial Lift Truck Suppliers,” Modern Materials Handling, 2017
Every mass-produced car and truck in the U.S. contains or relies on lead batteries.
“Lead Acid Battery Market Poised to Hit US $31,708.4 Million by 2020,” Future Market Insights, Dec. 2017