| Abstract Scope |
RSR North America (RSRNA) is the largest secondary lead (Pb) producer in North America with smelting operations in Middletown, NY, Indianapolis, IN, and City of Industry, CA. Over the last several decades, RSRNA has focused on sustainability, becoming an industry leader in environmental performance by the installation of Wet Electrostatic Precipitators (WESPs) at all three operations. Also through the use of advanced engineering controls, average blood lead levels of plant personnel are well below 10 micrograms per deciliter, approaching background levels for non-industry personnel. With the industry’s need to improve Pb battery performance to maintain sustainability in the marketplace, RSRNA has developed state-of-the-art analytical capabilities, including Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS), to better quantify key elements crucial to Pb battery operation. This has led to the development of several new alloys, including the soft Pb micro-alloyed SUPERSOFT-HYCYCLE™ and the high-temperature grid alloy 009-PERFORMANCE GRID™, improve batter performance (e.g. cycle life). |