Lithium's principle benefit is weight. For mobile applications (handheld devices, laptops, automobiles) that wins out.

Lead is at the other end of the periodic table. It's heavy and dense. But the batteries last and last and last, and are well-proven. The lead itself is recyclable,a nd is the most-recycled material by mass in the US IIRC (the USGS reports on this). About 40% of lead production is from recycled lead.