The U.S. auto industry has known for decades that recycled lead used in car batteries is often processed in factories that poison people and pollute communities—especially in low-income countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Mexico, and India.

Now, a major investigation by The New York Times and The Examination has confirmed what environmental advocates have long warned: children living near these factories have been exposed to toxic lead at levels that cause permanent brain damage, and American carmakers are buying from these same supply chains.

Despite repeated proposals for certification programs like “Green Lead,” automakers including Ford, GM, Toyota, and Tesla have refused to act. They have celebrated sustainability for lithium and cobalt, but excluded lead entirely from their reports and audits—even though it’s still in nearly every U.S. car battery.

Lead is not a “legacy problem.” It’s a current, ongoing crisis.

We are calling on:

Ford Motor Company
General Motors
Toyota North America
Tesla
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation
To:

• Immediately audit all recycled lead suppliers and make results public.
• Cut ties with facilities that fail to meet basic environmental and health safety standards.
• Join a global certification system for lead battery recyclers, similar to those for cobalt and gold.
• Include lead in sustainability and human rights disclosures, with independent verification.
• Invest in clean battery recycling programs that protect both people and the planet.

American car companies cannot claim climate leadership while ignoring the suffering caused by toxic lead in their supply chains. It’s time for real transparency—and real accountability.

Sign this petition if you believe U.S. automakers must stop profiting off pollution and commit to clean, ethical batteries for good.