Lead is a toxic metal which can cause harm to almost every organ system in the body. There is no known safe level of exposure to lead.
Total deaths in 2023 (IHME)
~3.5 million
Deaths due to lead exposure in 2023 (IHME)
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$305 billion
in lost productivity each year in low- and middle-income countries due to lead exposure (Ericson & Brown, 2025)
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20% of the global learning gap
between high- and low-income countries is explained by lead exposure (CGD)
LEAD POISONING IS A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
LEAD-ACID BATTERY RECYCLING IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF LEAD EXPOSURE
Lead-acid batteries contain lead plates that can be melted down and recycled for reuse. Without protective equipment or pollution controls, this releases lead dust and fumes into the environment, contaminating the soil, water, and air many kilometers away from the source.
This poisons workers, the environment, and adults and children in nearby communities.
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A study of ULAB recycling sites across seven African countries found average lead contamination levels more than 100 times greater than the US hazard screening level (1)
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In Senegal, one study found that children living around a ULAB recycling site had blood lead levels up to 120 times the CDC’s reference level (2)
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UNSAFE LEAD-ACID BATTERY RECYCLING IS A MARKET PROBLEM
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Operators with low safety standards and minimal environmental controls can offer better prices than high-standard, compliant facilities.
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Without effective market incentives, ULAB sellers are encouraged to sell to unregulated recyclers, resulting in large numbers of batteries being processed by unregistered facilities.​
