Lead Training Course 2026
Overview

A distinctive feature of this year’s event is the inclusion of the Learning Lead Course 2026, an integrated training program designed to complement the conference discussions. Expect a highly engaging 1.5 day program explaining the full lifecycle of secondary lead.

Delivered by experienced industry experts, the curriculum provides a comprehensive end-to-end exploration of the lead industry, from production and smelting through to market dynamics, applications, regulatory considerations, and lifecycle management.

Interactive Elements

  • Case study discussions
  • Hazard identification workshop
  • PPE demonstration
  • “Spot the risk” site photos
  • Short knowledge checks per module
  • Scenario-based group exercises

Module 1

The Metal and Its Background

A brief history of lead

  • Objectives and structure
  • Why understanding lead matters

The Metal and its background

  • Historical evolution
  • Key properties and chemistry of lead
  • Differences between soft and alloyed lead
  • Current landscape

Uses and Applications of Lead

  • Automotive and industrial batteries
  • cable sheathing and radiation shielding
  • Rolled sheet lead
  • Ammunition
  • Pigments, ballast and other uses

Sales, Marketing & Trading
How lead is priced and traded

  • Role of the LME (London Metal exchange)
  • Trading mechanisms: spot, futures, hedging
  • Pricing premiums and market factors

Transport and Shipping
Moving lead safely

  • Overview of packaging and handling
  • AHEC/HS codes (trade classification)
  • Shipping documentation, transport regulations
  • Common routes for global shipments

Product Forms and End Uses
From ingot to impact, end uses of soft and alloyed lead

  • Ingots, pellets, sheets
  • Industry-by-industry demand
  • Regions and markets

Module 2

From Scrap to Safe Supply

Collection Systems Around the World

  • Formal vs informal systems
  • Country comparisons (e.g. EU, India, Africa, SE Asia)
  • Industrial collection vs household recovery
  • Impacts on quality and safety

Scrap Classification and ISRI Codes

  • What are ISRI codes?
  • Basel Convention Technical Guidelines
  • Examples relevant to lead (e.g. Rink, Rail)
  • Importance for trading and smelters
  • Quality and contamination implications

Medical Surveillance and blood lead testing
Why Monitoring Blood Lead Levels Matters

  • Effects of lead on the human body
  • Testing frequency (e.g. baseline, quarterly)
  • Global benchmark levels
  • Responsibilities of employers

Turning Scrap into Metal

  • Storage of used batteries
  • Battery breaking
  • Types of furnaces (rotary, blast, reverberatory)
  • Inputs, fluxes, and additives
  • Pollution and control systems (baghouses, scrubbers and waste-water treatment facilities)
  • Sulfur dioxide management
  • Solid waste management

Maximising Recycling Efficiencies

  • Acid recovery and recycling options
  • Polypropylene and plastics recycling

Refining – Improving Purity
Refining Lead for Market Use

  • Processes: drossing, alloying, filtering
  • How specifications differ for soft lead vs alloys
  • Product examples (ingots, sheets, granules)

Medical Impact of Lead Exposure

  • Neurological, renal, reproductive, and cognitive impacts
  • Vulnerable populations (children, pregnant workers)
  • Cumulative effects over time

Lead Battery 360°-Why It Matters

  • What is Lead360?
  • Responsible Sourcing, Stewardship and ESG
  • Role of producers, recyclers, and regulators

Site Inspections – How to Spot the Risks

  • What to look for (dust, leaks, storage practices)
  • Where contamination usually occurs
  • Role of supervisors and auditors
  • Monitoring air and waste water emissions

Minimising Contamination and Exposure
Control Measures that Actually Work

  • Engineering controls and local exhaust ventilation
  • Fugitive emission controls
  • Use and maintenance of personal protective equipment
  • Sealing work zones
  • Worker hygiene practices
  • Material handling protocols
  • Housekeeping

SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures
Why SOPs Keep Your Operation Running Safely

  • Purpose of SOPs
  • What good SOPs include
  • Updating, auditing, and enforcing SOPs