Lead batteries are recycled at a rate of almost 98% in the US, making them the country’s most recycled consumer product, according to a new study from Battery Council International (BCI). The long-term recycling rate for lead batteries remains above 99%, BCI said. More than 174 million lead batteries are recycled domestically each year, returning over 2.2 billion pounds (998,000 tonnes) of lead to the battery manufacturing supply chain. The country’s lead battery industry directly supports more than 106,000 jobs and generates over $35 billion in annual business output, according to BCI. Lead batteries are used in applications including vehicles, hospitals, 911 call centres, military infrastructure and data centres.