Informal ULAB recycling in West Africa: case studies of Thiaroye-Sur-Mer (Senegal) and Mombasa (Kenya)

This presentation examines informal recycling of used lead acid batteries in West Africa, focusing on case studies in Thiaroye-sur-Mer, Senegal, and Mombasa, Kenya. It outlines the growing demand for lead acid batteries, the scale of waste generation in Africa, and the economic drivers of recycling. The document describes informal sector practices, including crude smelting, unsafe disposal of sulphuric acid, and absence of protective equipment, resulting in severe environmental contamination and human exposure. Evidence from Senegal reports child deaths, extremely elevated blood lead levels, and soil concentrations far exceeding safety limits, followed by remediation measures. The Mombasa case similarly documents soil contamination and child lead poisoning linked to backyard smelting activities