siliconindia | | FEBRUARY 20259The Difficulties in Lithium-Ion Battery RecyclingAnirban Banerjee, Senior VP & SBU Head - Batteries & Flashlights, Eveready Industries India, says , "To reduce the burden of battery waste, manufacturers are required to follow a sustainable approach and contribute to building a circular economy. By coming-up with efficient products with extended lifespans, minimizing waste, promoting energy efficiency, and adopting safe waste disposal & collection can bring significant results. It is also crucial to link the consumer with the sustainability cause".With the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries, decarbonization initiatives for sectors like automotive and energy are worth several billions of dollars. Recycling challenges are one of the most significant barriers towards widespread adoption and one of the most significant challenges that must be faced by LIB-dependent industries. LIB recycling would largely remain unsustainable unless properly developed technologies are handled with sufficient logistics, and regulatory challenges stand in the way. Currently, the recycling process is more or less based on the extraction of valuable cathode materials. However, to achieve maximum profitability and minimum environmental impact, solutions for recycling anodes, electrolytes, and current collectors must also be considered.Although traditional recycling techniques for spent LIBs are relatively mature, the profitability of these methods remains low, calling for an upgrade to current recycling models. Advanced approaches such as direct recycling where whole components like cathodes are recycled without being broken down hold much promise. This technique could improve the quality of recycled materials and reduce costs. In addition, spent EV batteries could be repurposed for lower-power applications, such as home energy storage or grid systems, for batteries that are no longer suitable for their original purposes. However, technical barriers such as the inability to assess the state of health (SoH) of spent batteries and market barriers including consumer acceptance and regulatory complexities act as barriers to cascade utilization.Overcoming these challenges requires breakthroughs in technologies such as accurate SoH prediction, simplified screening processes, and machine learning-based sorting to make cascade utilization and recycling more economically feasible. Robust legislative frameworks are also required to streamline the recycling process, ensuring safety and environmental protection. If these obstacles are addressed, a closed-loop recycling system for LIBs could emerge, promoting both environmental sustainability and economic growth within the expanding EV industry.Case Studies of Closed-Loop Battery Recycling in Waste ManagementClosed-loop battery recycling is an essential approach to waste management, especially in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) applied in electric vehicles (EVs). This involves taking the extracted material from the used battery and returning it into the production chain so that less extraction of raw materials is done, hence the less impact on the environment.Redwood MaterialsRedwood Materials, founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, uses a closed-loop recycling process with up to 95 percent recovery of critical minerals from EV batteries. Partnering with automakers like BMW, it recovers cathodes and anodes for reuse in new batteries, supporting a circular economy and reducing mining dependence.Cylib European Recycling PlantGerman start-up Cylib, funded by Porsche and Bosch, is building a battery recycling plant in Dormagen, Germany. It will come on stream in 2026 to process 30,000 tons of end-of-life batteries. This should support the German circular value chain and help the EU secure strategic mineral supplies, making the continent less reliant on others for them.Nunam India Repurposing InitiativeRepurposing retired electric vehicle batteries by Nunam will provide power backup solutions in rural communities, using refurbished packs to ensure no interruptions in house-to-house energy supply, with a resultant lift in livelihood opportunities and sustainable ways of energy delivery. This action will not only help with issues of waste but also contribute significantly to the Indian clean energy shift.Looking AheadThe increasing use of batteries in electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy has made the Battery Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024 strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), making recycling efforts more accountable and pushing towards a circular economy. EPR certificates and environmental compensation is being introduced to make producers comply. Moving forward, authorities will emphasize supporting policies, and benefits for manufacturers as well as the consumers, along with investments made in research toward improving recycling systems and helping protect the environment.
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