Lead-Acid Batteries Still Top the Nation's Recycling List
The lead-acid battery industry, with help from consumers and retailers, recycled 99.2 percent of used battery lead (or 11.7 billion pounds of lead) from 1999 to 2003, according to a new report issued today by Battery Council International (BCI) the industry's trade association. The data confirm that the lead-acid battery remains the nation's most highly recycled consumer product.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB via PR Web
Direct) June 21, 2005 -- The lead-acid battery industry, with help from
consumers and retailers, recycled 99.2 percent of used battery lead (or 11.7
billion pounds of lead) from 1999 to 2003, according to a new report issued
today by Battery Council International (BCI) the industry's trade association.
The data confirm that the lead-acid battery remains the nation's most highly
recycled consumer product.
“This high recycling rate for battery lead is the
result of a successful collaboration among members of the battery industry,
retailers and consumers,” said Randy Hart, President of BCI. “It proves that a
workable infrastructure helps boost consumers' participation in
recycling.”
The lead-acid battery industry, which is the country's
largest user of lead, has been recycling and reclaiming lead from its used
products for nearly 75 years. Battery Council International, a not-for-profit
organization that represents the international lead-acid battery manufacturing
and recycling industry, has tracked the lead recycling rate from used
automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, garden tractor, industrial and other
lead-acid batteries since 1987.
“The lead-acid battery recycling
structure has been proven to be efficient and highly successful, and no other
battery chemistry comes near the recycling rate of lead-acid batteries,” said
Mr. Hart. The recycling rate of battery lead has also consistently ranked higher
than other recyclable commodities. The U.S. EPA lists 2003 recycling rates of
other materials:
- Steel Cans: 60.0%
- Yard Trimmings: 56.3%
-
Paper and Paperboard: 48.1%
- Aluminum Beer and Soft Drink Cans: 43.9%
-
Tires: 35.6%
- Plastic Milk Bottles: 31.9%
- Plastic Soft Drink
Containers: 25.2%
- Glass Containers: 22.0%
Along with the lead and
plastic from used batteries, lead-acid battery recyclers also reclaim scrap lead
from the production process. In a continuous cycle, the battery industry
reclaims and reuses lead and plastic for use in new batteries, keeping these
materials out of the waste stream. “Lead-acid battery recycling in the U.S. was
one of the most significant environmental success stories of the 20th century
and the trend continues into the 21st century,” said Mr. Hart.
The
Battery Council International has been instrumental in promoting the enactment
of lead-acid battery recycling requirements that are the law in 43 U.S. states.
Today, the vast majority of U.S. retailers and auto parts stores collect used
batteries from consumers in compliance with state recycling laws.
The
BCI 1999-2003 National Recycling Rate Study and historical lead recycling data
are available at http://www.batterycouncil.org.
Contact:
Moe
Desmarais, Executive Director
Battery Council International
401 N.
Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611-4267
Phone: 312-644-6610
Fax:
312-527-6640
e-mail protected from spam bots
www.batterycouncil.org
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb253846.htm