Jay Turner
@jayturner.bsky.social
Environmental Studies Professor at Wellesley College. Author of Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (2022). Tracking and analyzing clean energy supply chains at https://www.the-big-green-machine.com
But this issue isn't new. Industry has struggled to manage the risks of lead recycling since the early 20th c, when Alice Hamilton first helped spotlight the issue.
See the first chapter of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.
www.charged-the-book.com
See the first chapter of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.
www.charged-the-book.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
But this issue isn't new. Industry has struggled to manage the risks of lead recycling since the early 20th c, when Alice Hamilton first helped spotlight the issue.
See the first chapter of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.
www.charged-the-book.com
See the first chapter of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.
www.charged-the-book.com
But as the NYTimes explains, efforts to improve transparency and accountability in the supply chain were blocked by the industry in the early 2000s.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
The Auto Industry Was Warned: Battery Recycling Was Poisoning People
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
But as the NYTimes explains, efforts to improve transparency and accountability in the supply chain were blocked by the industry in the early 2000s.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
For decades, environmental groups like Occupational Knowledge International based in San Francisco have been pushing the industry to clean up its supply chains.
www.okinternational.org/lead-exposur...
www.okinternational.org/lead-exposur...
Lead Exposure Sources — OK International
Learn about lead exposure sources including batteries, paint, toys, and more. Discover ways to reduce risks and promote safer practices worldwide.
www.okinternational.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
For decades, environmental groups like Occupational Knowledge International based in San Francisco have been pushing the industry to clean up its supply chains.
www.okinternational.org/lead-exposur...
www.okinternational.org/lead-exposur...
What you aren't going to learn about at @batterycouncil.bsky.social are kids like Freeman, who lives in Nigeria, who is suffering from lead poisoning.
It is these hidden and human consequences of the lead recycling industry that the @nytimes.com is daylighting.
www.nytimes.com/video/world/...
It is these hidden and human consequences of the lead recycling industry that the @nytimes.com is daylighting.
www.nytimes.com/video/world/...
Video: Recycling Lead for U.S. Car Batteries Is Poisoning People
Recycling lead for U.S. car batteries is poisoning children — and we know because we tested them. Will Fitzgibbon, a reporter at The Examination, describes how children in Nigeria developed lead level...
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
What you aren't going to learn about at @batterycouncil.bsky.social are kids like Freeman, who lives in Nigeria, who is suffering from lead poisoning.
It is these hidden and human consequences of the lead recycling industry that the @nytimes.com is daylighting.
www.nytimes.com/video/world/...
It is these hidden and human consequences of the lead recycling industry that the @nytimes.com is daylighting.
www.nytimes.com/video/world/...
At The Big Green Machine, my @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America.
Let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡
Access our dataset and dashboard here:
www.the-big-green-machine.com
Let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡
Access our dataset and dashboard here:
www.the-big-green-machine.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
At The Big Green Machine, my @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America.
Let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡
Access our dataset and dashboard here:
www.the-big-green-machine.com
Let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡
Access our dataset and dashboard here:
www.the-big-green-machine.com
Our website has a lightning fast search feature, making it easy to look up details and sources for every project we are tracking.
www.the-big-green-machine.com/search
www.the-big-green-machine.com/search
Search Database | TheBig Green Machine
Search page for individual sites related to clean energy manufacturing supplies chains included in The Big Green Machine.
www.the-big-green-machine.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Our website has a lightning fast search feature, making it easy to look up details and sources for every project we are tracking.
www.the-big-green-machine.com/search
www.the-big-green-machine.com/search
While it is good news that previously announced projects continue to advance, when we narrow the scope of analysis to newly announced projects by quarter versus canceled, paused, or closed projects by quarter, the Trump bust continues — the pipeline of new projects is getting smaller.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
While it is good news that previously announced projects continue to advance, when we narrow the scope of analysis to newly announced projects by quarter versus canceled, paused, or closed projects by quarter, the Trump bust continues — the pipeline of new projects is getting smaller.
What has advanced in the past month?
Toyota batteries in North Carolina. 🔋
Redwood Materials in South Carolina. ♻️
Rivian Supplier Park in Illinois. 🛻
Vulcan Rare Earth Facility in North Carolina. ♻️
First Solar in South Carolina. 🔆
Details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Toyota batteries in North Carolina. 🔋
Redwood Materials in South Carolina. ♻️
Rivian Supplier Park in Illinois. 🛻
Vulcan Rare Earth Facility in North Carolina. ♻️
First Solar in South Carolina. 🔆
Details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
What has advanced in the past month?
Toyota batteries in North Carolina. 🔋
Redwood Materials in South Carolina. ♻️
Rivian Supplier Park in Illinois. 🛻
Vulcan Rare Earth Facility in North Carolina. ♻️
First Solar in South Carolina. 🔆
Details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Toyota batteries in North Carolina. 🔋
Redwood Materials in South Carolina. ♻️
Rivian Supplier Park in Illinois. 🛻
Vulcan Rare Earth Facility in North Carolina. ♻️
First Solar in South Carolina. 🔆
Details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Our tracking also shows a big jump in clean energy manufacturing projects that advanced last month.
We are now tracking 99 projects, $57.4B in investment, and 58,982 jobs that have started construction, begun operations, or been newly announced since Trump took office.
We are now tracking 99 projects, $57.4B in investment, and 58,982 jobs that have started construction, begun operations, or been newly announced since Trump took office.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Our tracking also shows a big jump in clean energy manufacturing projects that advanced last month.
We are now tracking 99 projects, $57.4B in investment, and 58,982 jobs that have started construction, begun operations, or been newly announced since Trump took office.
We are now tracking 99 projects, $57.4B in investment, and 58,982 jobs that have started construction, begun operations, or been newly announced since Trump took office.
What slowed in the past month?
GM-SDI in Indiana. 🔋
Exxon Lithium in Arkansas. ⛏️
Ultium in Tennessee. 🔋
Ultium in Ohio. 🔋
GM Factory Zero in Michigan. 🚗
Ford River Rouge in Michigan. 🚗
Gotion in Michigan.🔋
See the full details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
GM-SDI in Indiana. 🔋
Exxon Lithium in Arkansas. ⛏️
Ultium in Tennessee. 🔋
Ultium in Ohio. 🔋
GM Factory Zero in Michigan. 🚗
Ford River Rouge in Michigan. 🚗
Gotion in Michigan.🔋
See the full details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
What slowed in the past month?
GM-SDI in Indiana. 🔋
Exxon Lithium in Arkansas. ⛏️
Ultium in Tennessee. 🔋
Ultium in Ohio. 🔋
GM Factory Zero in Michigan. 🚗
Ford River Rouge in Michigan. 🚗
Gotion in Michigan.🔋
See the full details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
GM-SDI in Indiana. 🔋
Exxon Lithium in Arkansas. ⛏️
Ultium in Tennessee. 🔋
Ultium in Ohio. 🔋
GM Factory Zero in Michigan. 🚗
Ford River Rouge in Michigan. 🚗
Gotion in Michigan.🔋
See the full details in our dataset:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
In the conclusion of my book Charged, I take up that general question - what would happen if some other battery chemistry - and, like you say, maybe sodium-ion - replaced lead-acid batteries. What would happen to all the lead circulating through the built environment that we cannot leave behind?
November 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In the conclusion of my book Charged, I take up that general question - what would happen if some other battery chemistry - and, like you say, maybe sodium-ion - replaced lead-acid batteries. What would happen to all the lead circulating through the built environment that we cannot leave behind?
Right. A sharp reminder that “highly recycled” and “green” aren’t necessarily the same thing. Here is how I put it in my book.
November 18, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Right. A sharp reminder that “highly recycled” and “green” aren’t necessarily the same thing. Here is how I put it in my book.
Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future is on sale from the University of Washington Press for $15 right now, including free shipping.
Use WINTER25 at checkout for the discount. #energysky
uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
Use WINTER25 at checkout for the discount. #energysky
uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
Charged
Winner of the 24th Annual Susanne M. Glasscock Humanities Book Prize
Finalist for the 2023 Cundill History Prize
Gold Medal Recipient, Nautilus Boo...
uwapress.uw.edu
November 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future is on sale from the University of Washington Press for $15 right now, including free shipping.
Use WINTER25 at checkout for the discount. #energysky
uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
Use WINTER25 at checkout for the discount. #energysky
uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
There is much to be learned from the global trade in lead-acid batteries as we look toward a future powered by more and more batteries.
This is a key point of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which follows that story from lead-acid to li-ion batteries.
This is a key point of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which follows that story from lead-acid to li-ion batteries.
November 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM
There is much to be learned from the global trade in lead-acid batteries as we look toward a future powered by more and more batteries.
This is a key point of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which follows that story from lead-acid to li-ion batteries.
This is a key point of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which follows that story from lead-acid to li-ion batteries.
So this whole issue almost lead to fisticuffs between me and a truck driver in Princeton. Not my best moment.
It took me decades to shake off this mindset. Much of my bike commute now happens on a sidewalk!
I think that guy's video is the dissertation on this topic.
It took me decades to shake off this mindset. Much of my bike commute now happens on a sidewalk!
I think that guy's video is the dissertation on this topic.
November 14, 2025 at 3:50 AM
So this whole issue almost lead to fisticuffs between me and a truck driver in Princeton. Not my best moment.
It took me decades to shake off this mindset. Much of my bike commute now happens on a sidewalk!
I think that guy's video is the dissertation on this topic.
It took me decades to shake off this mindset. Much of my bike commute now happens on a sidewalk!
I think that guy's video is the dissertation on this topic.