Waste　slag　(WS)　derived　from　the　pyrometallurgical　process　of　waste　lead-acid　battery　(LAB)　is　becoming　a　potential　contributor　to　environmental　pollution.　Therefore,　WS　treatment　or　disposal　should　be　considered　an　integral　part　of　waste　LAB　treatment　systems　to　comprehensively　analyze　the　sustainability　of　secondary　lead　industry.　Given　that　emergy　analysis　(EmA)　can　evaluate　all　forms　of　energy,　materials,　and　human　services　on　a　common　basis　by　converting　them　into　equivalents　of　one　form　of　energy,　our　study　proposes　an　emergy-based　approach　and　several　improved　indicators.　Unlike　traditional　emergy　indicators,　the　output　emergy　and　waste　emergy　in　our　approach　were　added　into　an　improved　emergy　indicators.　The　improved　indicators　also　converted　emission　impacts　into　equivalent　emergy　associated　with　economic　activities,　including　the　emergy　of　ecological　services,　emergy　loss　of　affected　natural　resources,　emergy　losses　associated　with　human　health　damage　and　land　occupation.　Next,　four　scenarios　as　study　cases　were　evaluated　using　the　proposed　approach　and　indicators.　Our　study　found　that　1)　the　improved　emergy　indicators　are　more　rigorous　than　their　traditional　counterparts;　2)　although　the　reuse　of　WS　raises　the　disposal　costs　(scenario　C　and　scenario　D),　it　can　improve　the　environmental　performance　of　waste　LAB　treatment　systems,　thereby　greatly　improving　system　sustainability;　finally,　the　proposed　approach　can　help　policy-makers　make　decisions　and　guide　enterprises　to　improve　the　overall　performance　of　waste　LABs　treatment　systems.　©　2020