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Photo by Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times

investigation

The poisonous lead trade

The auto industry touts the use of recycled lead in batteries as an environmental success story. But some of that lead comes from places like Ogijo, Nigeria, where toxic soot billows from crude factories and poisons workers and families.
Industrial pollution
The poisonous lead trade

Recycling lead for U.S. car batteries is poisoning people

We documented the toxic fallout of a green technology.

November 18, 2025
Industrial pollution
The poisonous lead trade

How we linked the auto industry to lead poisoning in Nigeria

Blood and soil testing confirmed the health consequences. Then we tracked individual shipments to the United States.

November 18, 2025

U.S. recycled lead imports from Nigeria

In the morning, when we looked outside, the ground seemed to be covered in charcoal.

Lead poisoning near Nigerian battery recycling plants

70%

of people tested had lead poisoning

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