Innovation and the essential uses of lead mean future demand is assured – Metal Bulletin

An article in the May edition of Metal Bulletin looks at how lead metal has become one of the most recycled commodities in the world today.

In the article International Lead Association Managing Director, Dr Andy Bush, looks at the factors that have made this possible and quotes some impressive statistics on the recycling of lead batteries used in vehicles – the main application for lead nowadays.

In the USA, for example, more than 98% of all lead-based batteries are recycled and in Europe more than 95%. 

Such successful recycling has meant that by 2013 secondary production of lead from recycling had reached 6.1m tonnes compared to primary production of 5.1m tonnes – itself a record output. 

The article explains the recycling process, at the role of advanced lead-based batteries in micro-hybrid vehicles and at the future challenges for the battery recycling industry.

Dr Andy Bush said: ‘Lead recycling makes an important contribution to sustainable development, reducing the pressure on non-renewable resources and lowering carbon emissions through a simple energy-efficient recovery process.’