Most people probably don’t give much thought to what happens to a car battery once it reaches the end of its life. At Element Resources in Muncie, that’s where the work begins.
Operating in Muncie since 1989, Element Resources’ Garfield plant recycles spent lead batteries, separating them into lead, plastic and sulfuric acid that can be used to manufacture new batteries. It’s part of a remarkably efficient cycle: Lead batteries have a 98% recycling rate, making them the most recycled consumer product in the United States.
The scale of the Muncie operation may be equally surprising. The 282,000-square-foot facility sits on 69 acres and produces more than 75,000 tons annually. Its 190 employees include 17 veterans, and the average employee has been with Element Resources for 11 years. The site also includes a quality assurance lab, water treatment system and numerous air pollution control devices designed to help protect Muncie’s land, air and water while producing recycled lead and other battery components.
That work has an impact well beyond Muncie. About 70% of the lead needed by U.S. battery manufacturers comes from recycled batteries, and lead can be recycled and reused indefinitely. By keeping these valuable materials in circulation, recycling helps strengthen domestic supply chains while reducing the need for new resources.
Element Resources’ connection to Muncie isn’t limited to its plant. The company and its employees support local organizations and events including Muncie Mission’s Walk a Mile in My Shoes, Second Harvest Food Bank’s Soup Crawl, Autism Rocks, Flags of Honor at Minnetrista, the No Laps Left Behind Warrior Walk and numerous Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce events throughout the year.
The company continues to invest in its people and in improvements to its recycling processes. In a city with deep manufacturing roots, Element Resources is carrying that tradition forward in a distinctly modern way: by taking something used up and putting it right back to work.
