Nigerian Battery Recyclers Fund Cleanup After Lead Poisoning Investigation Linked to U.S. Auto Industry Supply Chain
Battery recycling plants in Ogijo, Nigeria, have funded a $150,000 cleanup operation to remove lead-contaminated dirt following an investigation that revealed widespread lead poisoning among residents and workers. These factories had supplied lead for car batteries to the American auto industry, including companies like Ford and Tesla. The investigation, conducted by The Examination and its partners, found that 70% of tested volunteers had lead poisoning, and soil tests showed lead levels necessitating immediate cleanup. State officials in Ogun, Nigeria, responded by closing several factories in November and suspending environmental auditing firms for inaccurate reporting. Factories have since begun to reopen after agreeing to implement 19 improvements, such as enclosing furnaces and installing equipment to prevent lead particle escape. However, residents are still awaiting blood test results from government-conducted screenings, and the full extent of the contamination and the effectiveness of the cleanup...
