Recycled Lead Market Report 2026

The recycled lead market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $17.28 billion in 2025 to $17.88 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in lead-acid battery recycling, increasing automotive battery demand, expansion of electronics industry, rising construction applications, development of lead-based industrial compounds.

The recycled lead market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $20.9 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising adoption in electric vehicle batteries, increasing demand for radiation shielding in healthcare, growth of energy storage systems, expansion in data center infrastructure, development of advanced lead alloys for industrial applications. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of battery-grade recycled lead, rising use of lead-calcium and lead-antimony alloys, growing application of lead oxides in industrial pigments, increasing production of radiation shielding materials, rising demand for rolls and extruded lead products.

Rising demand for metal recycling is expected to boost the recycled lead market in the coming years. Metal recycling involves collecting scrap metal, processing it, and converting it into new usable materials. Many regions enforce regulations on the handling and disposal of hazardous substances such as lead. Recycling lead helps companies comply with these regulations by providing a controlled and environmentally responsible way to manage products at the end of their life cycle. For example, in May 2024, the Bureau of International Recycling reported that the EU-27 remained the world’s largest exporter of recycled steel in 2023, with volumes increasing 9.2% year over year to 19.219 million metric tons. Japan also recorded a 9.8% increase in recycled metal exports, reaching 6.927 million metric tons. Therefore, growing interest in metal recycling is contributing to the expansion of the recycled lead market.

Companies involved in lead recycling are investing in new facilities such as battery recycling plants to strengthen their market position. These plants recover materials like lead, plastic, and sulfuric acid from used lead-acid batteries, supporting resource conservation and environmental sustainability. For instance, in August 2023, Exide Industries announced the start of commercial production at its fourth lead battery recycling facility in India. Located in Maharashtra’s Supa-Parner Industrial Park, the plant initially has an annual capacity of 96,000 metric tons, with plans to expand to 120,000 metric tons.

In June 2025, Campine NV acquired EcoBat Resources’ battery recycling operations to expand its recycled lead capacity and broaden its product offerings, which include lead-metal alloys and semi-finished products. The acquisition strengthens Campine’s role in the recycled lead supply chain by increasing its processing capacity and enhancing its ability to serve industrial customers. EcoBat Resources specializes in the recycling of lead-acid batteries and the production of specialty lead materials.

Major companies operating in the recycled lead market report are Glencore plc, Johnson Controls International PLC, Teck Resources Limited, Korea Zinc Company Ltd., Boliden AB, Clarios LLC, Yuguang Gold Lead Co. Ltd., EnerSys Delaware Inc., East Penn Manufacturing Company Inc., Exide Industries Limited, The Doe Run Resources Corporation, Terrapure Environmental Ltd, Gravita India Ltd, Gopher Resource LLC, RSR Corporation, Recylex S.A., Eco-Bat Technologies Ltd, Cohen Recycling, Metalex Products LTD, Sirmet SAS, Azor Ambiental S.A., Engitec Technologies S.p.A, Mayco Industries Inc., C & M Metals Inc., ACE Green Recycling Inc., Mayer Alloys Corporation, Aqua Metals Inc., STC S.r.l., Recieder S.L., Termar S.r.l.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the recycled lead market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the recycled lead market are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the recycled lead market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The recycled lead market consists of sales of recycled lead ingots, recycled lead shots, and recycled lead alloys. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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