BCI (Battery Council International) is a not-for-profit trade association formed to promote the interests of an international battery industry. BCI has more than 190 members worldwide engaged in every facet of the industry. Included are lead battery manufacturers and recyclers, marketers and retailers, suppliers of raw materials and equipment, plus expert industry consultants. As the industry’s principal trade group, BCI member services have worldwide impact.

BCI brings together the leading lead-acid battery manufacturers in North America and other major players from around the world. Externally, BCI provides information and resources on the industry to numerous outside organizations and researchers.

When working on behalf of its members, BCI provides an extensive database of statistical information that for example tracks domestic shipment figures for replacement and automotive batteries.

In addition, BCI establishes technical standards for battery manufacturing and actively promotes workable environmental, health, and safety standards for the industry as a whole.

As part of this, BCI actively promotes the recycling of spent lead-acid batteries and the use of recycled materials in the production of new batteries. As such the organization collects statistical data to provide the annual recycling rate of lead-acid batteries. BCI also developed model battery recycling legislation at both the state and federal levels in the U.S., as a way to efficiently recover valuable resources and keep recyclable materials out of the waste stream. The model has been adopted by legislatures in 37 states across the country.

The BCI battery recycling model prohibits lead-acid batteries from being incinerated or dumped in landfills, and discourages indiscriminate disposal of spent lead-acid batteries. It includes a mandatory take-back system imposed at the point of purchase, requiring consumers either to turn in a spent battery at the purchase of a new battery or pay a fee in lieu of the trade-in. For 1999-2003, the recycling rate is 99.2%.

Click below for the BCI model for lead-acid battery recycling legislation. This sample has served as a model for many of the state recycling laws now in place in the U.S.
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