Automotive Battery Recycling in Chicago, IL

15 Apr Automotive Battery Recycling in Chicago, IL

Automotive battery recycling is a great way to care for the environment. Recycling your old auto battery can also net you a bit of cash.

How Does Automotive Battery Recycling Help the Environment?

Lead acid motor vehicle batteries have been banned from landfills since September of 1990 and states have passed legislation that makes it illegal to dispose of car batteries by just throwing them in the trash. However, every year, an estimated 1.8 million used batteries are not responsibly recycled. When a lead-acid battery is not properly recycled, it can cause lead, acid and mercury to be deposited into lakes, streams and landfills.

How Are Automotive Batteries Recycled?

The first step battery recycling companies take when they recycle an auto battery is to put it through a hammermill, which effectively breaks the battery into small pieces. Those pieces flow into a container, with the heavier materials, including lead, falling to the bottom and the plastic remaining on top
The plastic is removed, and the liquids are siphoned. The recycler then melts the plastic pieces and extrudes them into pellets, which are then sold to manufacturers who use them to make new battery cases.
The lead pieces are melted and poured into ingots, which are then melted down again to form the lead plates and other lead components of the battery. The old battery acid is processed and converted into sodium sulfate, which is used in detergent, glass and textile manufacturing. Battery recycling is considered a closed loop system because it can be repeated over and over again, allowing new products to be made from the old.

Ready to Recycle Auto Batteries in Chicago?

Are you looking to help the environment through lead acid battery recycling? Do you have auto batteries to recycle in Chicago, Illinois? If so, bring them in to Central Metal Recycling and we will pay you for them.