We’re touring several U.S.-based battery manufacturing and recycling stars who help form the strong network of BCI member companies. They provide batteries and the services and supplies that are used to create those batteries. They also comprise the vast domestic infrastructure that ensures a reliable energy storage source exists to power the U.S. economy.
Ecobat is one of the largest recyclers of lead-acid batteries in the world, leading the production of recycled lead and lead alloys for the battery manufacturing sector. With a century of expertise in transforming end-of-life batteries into new resources, Ecobat has expanded its offerings to include lithium-ion battery recycling and value-added services, addressing the growing diversity of battery chemistries in our modern, low-carbon economy. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Ecobat’s global operations include 11 smelters and 3 lithium-focused facilities worldwide.
Ecobat by the numbers
- 1544 employees
- 11 smelting facilities including leading US locations in California, Indiana, and New York
- 3 lithium-ion facilities including a Casa Grande, Arizona, location commissioned in 2023
- Annual output of 840,000 tons of lead
- 65,000 battery collection points
Ecobat’s operations feature many noteworthy facilities, but in this Essential Energy Tour, BCI will highlight one site in particular: Ecobat Resources California, located in City of Industry, California.
Established in 1959, this site’s investments in advancements represent the leading edge in best available control technology for lead battery recycling. Since 2008, Ecobat has invested nearly $50 million to install and maintain innovative, state-of-the-art pollution control and monitoring systems that ensure best-in-class industry and regulatory compliance.
This substantial investment in community health and wellness demonstrates Ecobat’s long-term commitment to meeting or exceeding all environmental, health, and safety standards.
Protecting the Environment and Domestic Supply Chains
At its City of Industry facility, Ecobat recovers and repurposes over 99% of the lead from approximately 11 million batteries processed each year. This process yields over 120,000 tons of recycled lead for use in new batteries.
The circularity of lead batteries offers valuable lessons for other emerging battery chemistries, like lithium-ion. With the addition of three lithium-focused facilities, Ecobat has strengthened its commitment to sustainability and circularity beyond its legacy lead business.
Moreover, the next-closest recycling facility to Ecobat’s California plant is located roughly 1,700 miles away in Missouri. This Los Angeles-area facility not only provides a critical function for the region but also operates under California’s strict safety and health regulations, meaning Ecobat’s processing methods meet the industry’s highest standards.
Recycling battery metals keeps these materials out of landfills, delivering clear environmental benefits. Equally important, it strengthens domestic supply chains by ensuring that components from recycled batteries remain onshore, reducing reliance on imported materials.
Protecting the Environment and Workers
State-of-the-art environmental and safety controls make Ecobat a valuable partner in the communities where it operates. For instance, its City of Industry location in Los Angeles County installed a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) in 2008 at a cost of $25 million to reduce emissions of lead, arsenic, and other pollutants.
The WESP represents cutting-edge environmental technology and was the first of its kind for any battery recycler in North America. Furthermore, the WESP is part of a broader environmental strategy that includes air, wastewater, and fence line monitoring.
Ecobat is proud of its leadership in environmental protection and continues to invest in its facilities to maintain the highest standards of operation.
Community Partnerships
Innovative, state-of-the-art air pollution control and monitoring systems underscore Ecobat’s commitment to health and safety. But its investments in the community around its City of Industry facility go far beyond the hardware on the property.
Ecobat Resources California maintains an “open door” policy, offering facility tours to its neighbors. It also sponsors health clinics and other wellness initiatives to support the well-being of nearby residents.
Ecobat Resources California further demonstrates its commitment to the community by donating over $100,000 each year to support local STEM and other community-based programs. Through partnerships with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley, the Youth Science Center, the City of Industry Sheriff’s Youth Activities League, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and local Little League baseball programs, Ecobat positively impacts the community.
Thank you, Ecobat, for allowing us to get to know you better!
Watch this space for other tour stops, as we travel the country sharing details about an industry that provides billions in domestic economic output and supports more than 121,000 U.S. jobs. Until then, read our previous Essential Energy Tour stops at Hammond Group, Inc., Crown Battery, Gopher Resource, East Penn Manufacturing, ENTEK International, EnerSys, Stryten Energy and C&D Trojan.
