Environmental factors, especially sustainability, are fundamentally important in considering battery technology. Battery recycling success rates are driven by a number of factors, such as the battery’s complexity (the more componentry, the more challenging recycling is), whether an established network exists to collect and process used batteries, and the market value of the recycled material to create new products.
As different types of batteries enter the motive power market and industry, one thing always remains the same, lead batteries are virtually 100% recyclable. The recycling and sustainability of lead batteries is an amazing success story. Virtually 100% of a lead battery’s three basic components – lead, plastic, and acid – are recyclable. Today, lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the U.S. (batterycouncil.org). Not only are they recyclable, but also sustainable, meaning the components are of great value. It is economically profitable to recycle them for use in new batteries.
Our lead smelter and refinery are a model for the industry, recycling virtually 100% of every used lead electrolyte battery component brought to the facility. East Penn built the battery industry’s first electrolyte reclamation plant, preventing potentially hazardous acid disposal. The company’s modern facilities as well as its long-standing green culture has made East Penn an environmentally conscious proactive battery manufacturer, and a global recycling leader.
While lithium batteries, like the Deka Ready Power, can be the right fit in some applications, lithium batteries have more difficulties when it comes to recycling. Currently, the percentage of lithium batteries that are recycled is under 5% globally (cas.org). Although several companies are exploring ways to meet this challenge, there remains no full-scale North American commercial operation that has shown success in recovering metals for reuse in new lithium batteries similar to the overall sustainability provided by lead battery technology.
East Penn has a strong commitment to its customers to be closely involved with any new or alternative battery technology. This proactive approach enables the company to stay on the forefront of new developments or emerging technologies to help its customers remain on the cutting edge of an everchanging market.
Contact Us For More Information:
E-mail: motivepowersales@dekabatteries.com
Follow us on LinkedIn @ East Penn Manufacturing Co. Motive Power
Phone: 610.682.3260
