EcoLead Expands Exports to the United Kingdom

SIA EcoLead, the only used lead-acid battery recycling plant in Latvia that provides a full-cycle process – from battery collection and sorting to recycling and the production of lead ingots – has started exporting its products to the United Kingdom. As a result, production from the company’s plant in Kalnciems, Jelgava Municipality, is now exported to Germany, Poland, Israel, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and now also the United Kingdom.

“Over the past year, four new countries have joined our export map. We see that interest in our high-quality products is growing both in Europe and beyond. These new markets give us the opportunity to create demand for resources recovered from materials that would otherwise become waste. This is the essence of the circular economy – transforming used batteries into raw materials for the industry of the future. Our goal is to continue expanding exports and exploring opportunities to develop value-added products,” emphasizes Kaspars Fogelmanis, CEO of SIA EcoLead.

EcoLead’s recycling capacity is approximately 10,000 tons of used batteries per year, with a steady growth trend of about 7% annually. The plant’s technological capacity reaches 15,000 tons, enabling the company to recycle all used lead-acid batteries collected in Latvia.

The recycling process at EcoLead is based on the pyrometallurgical method, which uses high temperatures to process ores or concentrates, separating the metal from accompanying substances such as oxides, sulfides, and carbonates. This ensures high efficiency, material purity, and the production of high-quality lead that can be reused across various industries – from construction to energy and medicine. In addition to lead ingots, EcoLead also produces gypsum, polypropylene flakes, and polyethylene (PE). 100% of production is exported.

Lead is one of the metals used in construction with the highest recycling rate in Europe. The recovery level of lead reaches almost 100%, and more than 90% of the lead used by EcoLead is recycled. Rolled lead products used in the construction sector are made entirely from recycled material and carry the highly regarded Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) issued by the Institute for Construction and the Environment (IBU).

SIA EcoLead launched operations in April 2023 and currently employs 43 people, 40% of whom are residents of Kalnciems. The company recycles all used lead-acid batteries collected in Latvia, ensuring a full recycling cycle – battery collection and sorting, recycling, and the production and export of lead ingots. The recycling and production processes comply with all regulations set by the Republic of Latvia and the European Union.