Recycling Lithium-Ion, LFP and Lead-Acid Batteries Compared

Yes, chemistry matters. Lead-acid, lithium-ion and LFP batteries all end up at a recycler, but they're treated differently and sometimes go through different doors. EPA says the type and chemistry decide the right waste option¹.

First, find out what you have

Read the label. EPA's advice for rechargeable batteries is to look for labels that identify the battery's chemistry¹. Look for "Li-ion", "LiFePO4" or "LFP" (lithium iron phosphate), or "Pb" or "lead-acid". If the label doesn't say, the manual or the maker's support page will.

Don't guess from looks. Lithium-ion batteries of different compositions can appear nearly identical yet have different properties².

Side by side

Lead-acid

Lead-acid is the old hand. Per EPA, a lead-acid battery may contain as much as 18 pounds of lead, plus about one gallon of corrosive lead-contaminated sulfuric acid¹. Elemental lead is toxic, so it needs to stay out of the waste stream⁴. EPA says they are used for backup power in basement sump pumps and as uninterruptible power supplies¹.

The upside: lead-acid recycling is mature. One source says nearly 99% of lead-acid automotive batteries are recycled, and the recovered materials go into new batteries⁴. That figure is for car batteries, so it doesn't automatically apply to a backup bank. EPA's advice for lead-acid is to return it to a battery retailer or a household hazardous waste program¹.

Lithium-ion

Lithium-ion packs may contain cobalt and nickel, depending on the active material⁴. These are the reason recyclers want them, and also the reason the recycling is more involved than it is for lead. The step-by-step process is in how battery recycling works.

LFP

LFP is a lithium-ion family, and it's common in stationary storage because of its cost, safety and cycle life³. It contains neither nickel nor cobalt³. That changes what a recycler can recover, but it doesn't change your job. Treat it like any lithium battery: keep it out of the trash, because it can still catch fire under extreme conditions³.

Big home batteries

For an installed home battery, EPA's advice is to contact the maker or the company that installed it¹. Take-back terms differ by maker, so read your manual before you phone anyone.