New Delhi, April 8 A new study has found high levels of lead contamination in soil near battery recycling units across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, raising concerns about public health and environmental safety.
The analysis, titled 'Soiled with Lead: from Battery Recycling,' was carried out by Toxics Link, an environmental research and advocacy organization, and was published on Wednesday.
The authors examined 23 soil samples collected near lead-acid battery recycling units in selected cities, including locations close to residential areas, local communities, and primary schools.
"All samples showed evidence of widespread lead contamination ranging from 100 parts per million (ppm) to 43,800 ppm," the analysis stated.
Referring to the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025, the findings indicated that 52 percent (12 out of 23 samples) of the collected soil samples contained lead concentrations exceeding the 5,000 ppm benchmark for a Hazardous Contaminated Site.
Furthermore, 31 percent of the samples exceeded the permissible limits for industrial areas as prescribed in the rule.
"Surprisingly, higher average lead levels were detected in samples collected from authorized recycling units (formal units) compared to those collected from unauthorized units," the study said.
Lead-acid batteries have been around for more than 150 years and are used in automobiles, backup power systems such as inverters, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), telecommunications, and railway networks.
"The spent batteries are sent to recycling units or smelting facilities, both authorized (formal) as well as unauthorized (informal) set-ups, to recover lead, plastic components, etc. These recovered materials are often reintroduced into battery manufacturing cycles," according to the study.
However, improper handling and poor practices, particularly in the unauthorized sector, can lead to the uncontrolled release of lead into the air, soil, and water. This is a concern because lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals, and it severely impacts human health and the environment.
According to a 2016 study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), lead exposure leads to 540,000 deaths annually across the globe, with the highest burden borne by low- and middle-income countries.