- Introduction
- The Recycling Process for Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries
- How Lithium-Ion Batteries Are Recycled Today
- Moment Energy – Turning Old EV Batteries Into New Life
- Conclusion
Introduction
We are currently, and have been for years, taking out many old batteries in off-grid systems, mostly flooded lead-acid but also some sealed lead-acid, and replacing them with lithium. That raises an important question: what happens to all these old lead-acid batteries, and what can be done when lithium batteries eventually reach the end of their life?
Old flooded lead-acid batteries, like the ones used in cars, golf carts, or deep-cycle systems, are actually one of the easiest products to recycle. In fact, they’re one of the most recycled items in the world. Around 99% of old lead-acid batteries get recycled through a closed-loop system where the lead, plastic cases, and even the acid are all recovered and used again. Because of this, new batteries are often built with about 80% recycled material.
When we pull out these old batteries, we always take them to a certified recycler so they can be processed properly and reused. Customers can do the same, most recyclers will accept old batteries, and in many cases you’ll even get some money back since they pay out by weight. It’s a simple way to make sure these heavy batteries don’t end up as waste and instead go right back into the cycle of producing new ones.
Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, are much harder to deal with. While they’re very important for today’s technology, recycling them is complicated. They come in many different designs and often need energy-heavy processes to break them down. Depending on the method, only 25% to 96% of the materials can be recovered, and it’s especially difficult and costly to reclaim lithium itself.
The Recycling Process for Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries
Collection & Drop-Off
Old batteries are easy to get rid of the right way. Many auto parts stores and recyclers will take them back, some even give you a deposit refund or cash based on the weight. Companies like Canadian Energy, and even local scrapyards, make the process simple. In the US there are plenty as well, Alter Metal Recycling, Ed Arnold Scrap Processors, Finger Lakes Recycling, Cohen Recycling just to name a few.
Breaking Them Down
Once collected, the batteries are taken apart. The lead plates, plastic cases, and even the sulfuric acid are separated. The great thing is that almost all of these parts can be recycled and reused.
Smelting & Reuse
The lead is melted down, purified, and turned into new lead for batteries. The plastics get reprocessed and used again for battery cases. The acid is either neutralized safely or repurposed for other uses.
A True Closed-Loop System
What makes lead-acid batteries stand out is that they’re part of a real closed-loop system. The materials from old batteries are used directly to make new ones. This cuts down on waste, lowers the need for mining, and keeps the whole cycle sustainable.
How Lithium-Ion Batteries Are Recycled Today
A lot of so-called “dead” lithium batteries still have plenty of life left in them. For example, many EV packs being replaced still hold 50–80% of their original capacity. Instead of going straight to the shredder, some companies give them a second life in stationary storage, think backup power for buildings or microgrids. Even smaller batteries from e-bikes and tools can often be reconditioned; tests show that many still have over 90% usable capacity.
Of course, not every battery can be reused. When they’re truly spent, recyclers dismantle them into what’s called “black mass,” a mix of valuable metals like cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium. Traditional methods rely on high heat or chemical baths to recover those elements, but newer “direct recycling” approaches aim to preserve cathode materials intact, saving energy and making them easier to drop back into new batteries.
The field is moving fast. Li-Cycle is hitting recovery rates of up to 95%. Others, like Duesenfeld in Europe, are pushing safer, chemical-based systems. Researchers are even finding ways to extract lithium with just water and CO₂, or to rebuild worn-out cathodes so they can be reused almost like new. The end goal is clear: squeeze every bit of value out of old batteries, cut waste, and keep critical materials in the loop.
Moment Energy – Turning Old EV Batteries Into New Life
Moment Energy is a clean-tech company based in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada, that’s doing something pretty incredible with retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Instead of letting those batteries go to waste, they repurpose them into reliable energy storage systems. Even when EV batteries reach the end of their life for vehicles, they often still hold up to 80% of their original capacity. Moment Energy tests, reconditions, and integrates those batteries into modular storage systems that can be scaled up to 10 MWh.
These systems, called the Luna BESS, are already being used in applications like airports, hospitals, data centers, resorts, and even off-grid projects. They can cut peak demand charges by as much as 50%, provide backup during outages, and reduce the need for diesel generators.
What’s impressive is how far the company has come in just a few years. They now have a full-scale manufacturing facility in Metro Vancouver and are supplying over 5.6 GWh of storage capacity across North America, with access to more than 8 GWh of batteries for future projects. They’re also the first repurposing facility in North America to earn UL 1974 certification, which is the gold standard for safety and performance in second-life battery systems.
The advantages are hard to ignore: these storage systems are typically up to 30% more affordable than brand-new ones, yet they carry comparable warranties (up to 10 years) and performance. That makes them an excellent solution for both cost savings and sustainability.
I actually had the chance to connect with Moment Energy early on through LinkedIn. At the time, I was speaking with them about a potential customer who was very interested in their technology. In the end, that customer decided to purchase brand-new batteries instead, but it gave me a chance to see firsthand how passionate and determined the Moment team was in their early stages. It’s been inspiring to watch them grow into a major player in the energy storage space, with partnerships that now include automakers like Nissan and Mercedes-Benz.
They’ve really proven that “second-life” doesn’t mean second best, it means smarter, cleaner, and more affordable energy storage.
Conclusion
Lead-acid battery recycling is a true success story: nearly everything gets reused, feeding directly back into new batteries, promoting sustainability, and even offering a little cash in return. Lithium-ion batteries, by comparison, are more complex and expensive to recycle, but innovations are starting to change that.
By bringing in your old flooded lead-acid batteries, you and your customers are participating in a highly effective circular economy, recycling lead, plastic, and acid safely, and helping build the batteries of tomorrow from today’s waste. Getting some money back by weight is just a bonus on top of the environmental benefits.
Whenever we can recycle or repurpose something, the planet wins. And with the pace we’re going in building new batteries, it’s more important than ever to think ahead: what happens when they’re no longer needed? How we handle that now affects our future, and our planet’s future.
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