Great Battery Roundup Coming To Pottstown

In recognition of Earth Day, AAA East Central will sponsor its annual Great Battery Roundup.

Each year, more than 100 million automotive lead-acid batteries are sold in the U.S. Roughly 97 percent of all the lead in spent lead-acid batteries is recyclable, yet it is estimated some five million batteries are not recycled each year. 

Automotive batteries contain lead, acid and plastic. When properly recycled, nearly every part of an automotive battery can be reused.

Additionally, lead costs are on the rise, so recycling spent batteries protects the environment, reclaims valuable lead and plastic for manufacturing, saving energy and money on raw materials. 

"With about 250 million cars and trucks on the road today in America, millions of batteries are dying each year," according to a AAA news release. "Considering that each battery contains 21 pounds of lead and one gallon of sulfuric acid, these batteries may appear lifeless, but they are not harmless to people or to Mother Nature. Fortunately, batteries are highly recyclable and disposing of them properly is not that difficult."

AAA sponsors the Great Battery Roundup year-round to help ensure the battery recycling system remains successful, said Joseph Fosko, approved auto repair manager, AAA East Central, East Penn Region, via the release.

Motorists can drop off used lead-acid batteries from April 16-20 at participating facilities including 

“Since 2002, more than 4,300 batteries have been recycled in the AAA East Central, East Penn Region,” Fosko said.