Lead battery recycling is a growing hazardous industry throughout Africa. We investigated potential soil contamination inside and outside formal sector recycling plants in seven countries. We collected 118 soil samples at 15 recycling plants and one battery manufacturing site and analyzed them for total lead. Lead levels in soils ranged from < 40–140,000 mg/kg. Overall mean lead concentrations were ~23,200 mg/kg but, average lead levels were 22-fold greater for soil samples from inside plant sites than from those collected outside these facilities. Arithmetic mean lead concentrations in soil samples from communities surrounding these plants were ~2600 mg/kg. As the lead battery industry in Africa continues to expand, it is expected that the number and size of lead battery recycling plants will grow to meet the forecasted demand. There is an immediate need to address ongoing exposures in surrounding communities, emissions from this industry and to regulate site closure financing procedures to ensure that we do not leave behind a legacy of lead contamination that will impact millions in communities throughout Africa.

铅电池回收是整个非洲日益增长的危险产业。我们调查了七个国家正规部门回收工厂内部和外部的潜在土壤污染。我们在15个回收工厂和1个电池制造厂收集了118个土壤样品，并分析了总铅的含量。土壤中的铅含量范围小于40-140,000 mg / kg。总体平均铅浓度为〜23,200 mg / kg，但是，从工厂内部土壤样品采集的平均铅含量是从这些设施外部采集的土壤样品的平均铅含量的22倍。这些植物周围社区土壤样品中的算术平均铅浓度约为2600 mg / kg。随着非洲铅蓄电池行业的不断发展，预计铅蓄电池回收厂的数量和规模将不断增长，以满足预期的需求。