Lead Battery 360° Welcomes Eight Sites as First Certification Participants

Global program assessing lead battery production and recycling standards gets underway.

The Lead Battery 360° Certification program (LB360), designed to promote sustainable and responsible production and material sourcing practices in the lead battery supply chain, has reached an important milestone as the first cohort of eight sites have been accepted as participants.

Eight facilities including lead battery production and recycling facilities in Europe, North America, Asia and Mexico are taking part in the program, from the companies Clarios, East Penn Manufacturing, Ecobat, and Boliden. All have signed letters of commitment and have been accepted as participants.

In the next year, each site will undergo independent third-party assurance checks to confirm they have successfully implemented policies and practices that meet the performance expectations described in the Lead Battery 360° Code.

Under the LB360 standards, sites that are “Certified Participants” must be judged to have ‘fully met’ all performance expectations or have committed to a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for non-critical requirements that are considered to have been ‘partially met.’

These Certified Participants are encouraged to promote their partnership with Lead Battery 360°, highlighting their certification status and identifying them as a site that operates responsible production and material sourcing practices within the lead battery supply chain.

“BCI data shows that the vast majority of lead used in U.S. battery manufacturing comes from North American recyclers operating at the highest levels of safety and environmental standards. But we also know that other regions of the world do not operate with that same commitment to circularity and public health,” said Roger Miksad, President and Executive Director of Battery Council International. “BCI is proud of its members that have joined LB360 as part of a global effort to raise standards in low- and middle-income countries, and we are committed to sharing best-practices in pursuit of that shared goal.”

Dr Andy Bush, Executive Director of ILA, said: “For lead batteries to continue to be a product of choice it is important that companies can demonstrate they are committed to responsible manufacturing and sourcing practices. So this is a very encouraging start to the new independent certification process. We are hopeful that many more sites will apply to become participants in the next 12 months.”

“Having eight facilities join the LB360° certification programme in 2025 is a fantastic start! EUROBAT members are also committed to upholding the highest environmental and safety standards, demonstrating their dedication to a sustainable future. I look forward to seeing some EUROBAT members embrace this global campaign too, setting a powerful example for others to follow,” said Gert Meylemans, General Manager at EUROBAT.

“As longtime stewards of the circular economy and empowering responsible recycling, ABR members uphold rigorous standards that safeguard workers, communities, and the environment, while ensuring the continued availability of essential recycled materials to support the lead battery supply chain and the production of new batteries vital to our energy infrastructure,” said Mark DeLaquil, General Counsel of the Association of Battery Recyclers (ABR).  “The Lead Battery 360° Certification program represents an important step toward advancing responsible production and recycling practices across the global supply chain.”