Lead

Lead is a soft, pliant and malleable grey-blue metal. It has a relatively high mass, and its low melting point makes it comparatively easy to recycle. Thanks in part to these characteristics, lead is the only metal where recycling volumes actually exceed primary production: 95% of discarded lead is collected and re-used – making it the foremost recycled non-ferrous metal. Lead is mainly used in construction (roofs and flashing, drainage pipes, etc.) and battery production. In addition, there is a category of lead called ‘quality lead wheel weights’. In many cases, this category is contaminated with iron and/or brass tubes.