Tighter Supply of Used Lead Battery in Japan

Used battery supply is rather tightening in Japan which is used as a material for recycled lead ingot. Lead users offer output expansion for recycled lead to the smelters, while lead smelters are facing difficulty in battery scrap collection when battery scrap is more exported due to the higher price at overseas. Lead smelters are raising their purchasing price for battery scrap but the competition is being much severer.Domestic lead smelters seem to pay more than 50 yen per kilogram for used lead battery currently, which was less than 10 yen a few years ago. Some scrap was traded by inverse onerous contracts and concerned to be disposed illegally. However, the market price surged up and lead smelters’ collection became active. Domestic smelters are eager to procure enough battery scrap while used lead batteries are actively exported to overseas where the market price is higher than in Japan.