China　is　the　largest　lead-acid　battery　(LAB)　consumer　and　recycler,　but　suffering　from　lead　contamination　due　to　the　spent-lead　recycling　problems.　This　paper　describes　a　comparative　study　of　five　typical　LAB　recycling　processes　in　China　by　compiling　data　about　the　input　materials,　energy　consumptions,　pollution　emissions,　and　final　products.　We　compared　the　environmental　impacts　of　these　processes　in　six　categories　using　the　Chinese　Life　Cycle　Database　(CLCD)　and　analyzed　their　economic　efficiencies　using　technology　cost　modeling　(TCM)　based　on　the　local　market　prices　of　materials　and　energy.　According　to　the　results,　we　found　that　not　all　of　the　innovative　hydrometallurgical　processes　are　healthy　alternatives.　We　should　pay　attention　on　indirect　emissions　in　the　environmental　inspection,　take　account　pollution　treatment　costs　into　green　profit　analysis,　and　recommend　the　best　process　with　the　change　of　the　society　resource　supply　structure.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.