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RECYCLING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
At Interstate, we take battery recycling seriously. We work to ensure proper handling and recycling of spent lead-acid batteries – that's why we commit to the Interstate Batteries Green Standard.
The Green Standard is our system of proprietary lead-acid battery recycling and handling practices designed to meet and exceed federal and state transportation and environmental regulations.
When you choose Interstate Batteries, your lead-acid batteries are handled from start to finish in a closed loop system by Green Standard-certified personnel. These individuals are trained to ensure that batteries are properly and safely transported, stored and packaged, so they can be sent to an approved recycling facility.
The process of recycling spent lead-acid batteries is two-step: separating the old battery’s components and then refining those components for new battery manufacturing. Batteries have three basic components: lead, electrolyte and plastic. The plastic follows the industry’s common recycling process, and is often reused for making new battery cases and covers. Since mining for lead is the least efficient way to make new batteries, every ounce of lead possible is recaptured for new battery manufacturing. The lead is melted down into ingots for easy transport and manufacturing. Some of the battery’s electrolyte, a mixture of sulfuric acid and water, is reusable for new batteries. The rest is neutralized and used for manufacturing textiles, laundry detergent and glass.