Industry Profile:
Used Lead-Acid Battery Recycling
2 million people estimated at risk
42 sites evaluated to date
Preliminary Research as of Aug. 23, 2010
Global Impact of Used Lead-Acid
Battery (ULAB) Recycling
Blacksmith Institute, working with local
partners and experts, is surveying
highly contaminated sites as part of a
Global Inventory of Polluted Places, a
project funded by the Asian
Development Bank and European
Commission.
To date, Blacksmith Institute has
identified 42 informal ULAB recycling
sites where toxic pollutants exceed
national regulations and recognized
international standards. Nearly 2
million people are estimated to be at
risk from pollution at these sites – a
number that is expected to rise
substantially as new sites are
evaluated. A more complete report will
be available by 2011.
Used Lead-Acid Battery Recycling
Recycled lead from used lead-acid
batteries is a valuable commodity, and
the recovery of this lead is a profitable
business for many people in low and
middle-income countries. Battery
recycling is often an informal industry
practiced in backyards and garages.
Lead-acid batteries are made of 60%
lead, which can be extracted once a
battery has lost its charge and resold.
Though the recycling of lead-acid
batteries has become a common and
business worldwide, it is too often
done without proper safety equipment
or precautions. The informal recycling
of batteries is part of a cycle where
used batteries are discarded by major
Used lead-acid battery casings exposed to the elements in Haina,
Dominican Republic.
ULAB Recycling Sites By Country
Country
Philippines
India
Colombia
Brazil
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh
Senegal
Argentina
China
Jamaica
Tanzania
El Salvador
Panama
Ghana
Cambodia
Indonesia
Benin
Guatemala
Uruguay
Peru
Uganda
Honduras
TOTAL
Number of
Sites
5
5
3
3
2
1
1
4
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
42
Estimated
Population at
Risk
1,050,000
270,000
166,000
125,000
110,000
50,000
40,000
25,700
21,000
20,000
20,000
15,000
15,000
14,000
12,000
9,900
7,000
4,000
3,100
3,000
3,000
1,500
1,985,200
Preliminary data from Blacksmith Institute’s Global Inventory as of
8/23/2010. Table does not include sites with low risk to human health.
Preliminary Data - Not for Public Release
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international firms. The secondary lead is recovered by small-scale local operators and
is then sold back to the large manufacturers.
During the informal recycling process batteries are often broken open by hand, and the
battery acid is poured into the soil. Broken batteries are left lying in the open and
exposed to the elements. Melting operations to recover the lead are usually conducted
in the open without proper pollution controls. Unusable lead-oxide, which is the most
bio-available form of the toxin and makes up 40% of the battery’s lead by weight, is
often discarded on the ground.
Risks to Human Health
A lack of awareness concerning the dangers of lead, combined with a lack of alternative
means of subsistence in many low-income neighborhoods, has led to the systematic
poisoning of communities throughout the world. A common cause of lead contamination
is the inhalation of lead dust, which enters the respiratory system and the bloodstream.
Dust that is brought into homes on people’s clothes or on objects can build up on
bedding, cooking utensils, and food. Lead can also migrate to groundwater and surface
water supplies that are used for bathing, drinking, and cooking.
The health effects of lead poisoning are both acute and chronic, and are particularly
severe in children. These effects include neurological damage, reduced IQ, anemia,
nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, loss of memory and concentration, infertility,
increased blood pressure, and chronic headaches. Even small amounts of lead in
children’s bodies are associated with long-lasting neurological and cognitive
impairments. At high concentrations, lead poisoning can cause death.
Cost-Effective Remediation Strategies
Successful, cost-effective remediation projects at ULAB recycling sites in the Dominican
Republic, Senegal, Jakarta, Manila, and other locations are underway. These projects
have several key components: 1) monitoring of lead levels in blood (primarily in
children); 2) partnerships with local governments, NGOs and community leaders to
conduct outreach and education programs to teach local communities about the
dangers of lead poisoning and battery recycling, and to provide information about how
to avoid lead contamination; 3) remediation of legacy pollution, which involves the
excavation of contaminated soil, and the cleanup of toxic soil and dust in and around
homes; and 4) either formalizing the recycling process or providing other sources of
income for the informal sector operators.
Information in this document is proprietary and copyright Blacksmith Institute. No authorization is granted for its use except by written
permission of Blacksmith Institute. Data is preliminary and provided by third parties. Blacksmith Institute, its agents, officers and contractors
cannot be held liable for errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or matters arising from the use of this information.
Preliminary Data - Not for Public Release
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