\u00a9 shutterstock\/KimTieng Tow Many recycled batteries are recycled into lead, ready for further use<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe lead battery recycling process is a highly specialised process honed over the decades to be highly efficient when there is a steady and clean supply of used batteries. This efficiency is one of the core drivers of lead batteries\u2019 unparalleled recycling success. However, when incompatible materials, such as lithium batteries, enter the lead battery recycling stream, they can reduce the quality of the recovered materials.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, contamination of the lead battery recycling stream poses a serious threat to employee safety. Lithium batteries dramatically increase the risks of fire and explosion posed to facilities and workers if they inadvertently find their way into the lead recycling process. This is, in large part, due to the high energy potential of these batteries combined with their relatively low tolerance for physical damage, such as the crushing that has long been a part of the proven lead recycling process.<\/p>\n
Every lead battery recycler with whom BCI works catches multiple lithium batteries every day, and all have experienced unfortunate incidents when lithium batteries slipped through the rigorous inspection processes.<\/p>\n
The sorting and identification process is becoming ever more difficult as more lithium batteries are designed to mimic lead batteries, and volumes are increasing. Our members remain vigilant about their recycling streams and, in the event of lithium contamination, can often successfully mitigate any negative effects. But no facility can solve this challenge alone; it\u2019s up to public officials and private sector participants to work together to ensure everyone is doing their part to protect public health and safety.<\/p>\n
Further complicating matters, the introduction of additional \u2018ride-along\u2019 contaminants requires the recycler to perform additional time-consuming and expensive metallurgical refining steps to achieve the necessary quality of recovered metal. This increases the carbon emissions and energy consumption of the process and increases the amount of waste by-products produced by the process.<\/p>\n
The 99% recycling rate of lead batteries is a huge point of pride for our industry, and we want to ensure the broader disposal and recycling infrastructures for other battery chemistries do not undercut the sustainable model we have built over the decades.<\/p>\n
The experience of lead battery recyclers is not unique. The contamination of any recycling input stream with incompatible or potentially dangerous materials creates real challenges to the quality of the recovered materials, the positive environmental impact, and the participation rate among businesses and consumers across the supply chain.<\/p>\n
Efficient and safe recycling processes are good for everyone. That\u2019s something we\u2019ve learned firsthand in the lead battery industry, and we\u2019re eager to help apply our lessons learned to other areas.<\/p>\n
Battery chemistry labelling standards and guidelines are needed<\/h3>\n Protecting America\u2019s current and future recycling infrastructure requires consistent and standardised labelling to enable proper identification and sorting between distinct chemistries and applications. BCI supports the adoption of clear, human-readable sorting labels on all batteries\u2014ideally embracing a globally standardised format. Existing voluntary standards such as IEC 62902 can provide a foundation for industry, government, and NGOs to establish labelling schemes.<\/p>\n\u00a9 shutterstock\/Phoenixns_2239074539 Battery waste is often an environmental hazard, making recycling of batteries of even greater importance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCurrently, there is no mandate in the US for all battery chemistries to use a uniform human-readable identification for battery chemistry. This has created problems in the marketplace because batteries of similar size can be readily confused and are frequently placed into the wrong recycling collection stream. EPA should consider how best to ensure that consumers and collection network participants have the information needed and the opportunity to direct each type of battery to the right collection stream.<\/p>\n
Battery labels should have a consistent and simple marking (e.g., a colour-coded, three-chasing arrows loop) across all battery chemistries to encourage and aid recycling. At a minimum, recycling and chemistry markings should address three primary goals. In order of priority, they are:<\/p>\n
\nInstructing consumers to keep batteries out of the trash and curbside recycling, and are directed to dedicated battery recycling networks where available;<\/li>\n Providing consumers and recycling network employees with human-readable information to enable the sorting of used batteries among major chemistry families (e.g. Pb, Li-ion, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, and Li-metal); and<\/li>\n If appropriate within a chemistry family, inform recyclers of the unique features, components, and\/or constituents of the batteries for recovery (e.g. cathode material).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nAs battery labelling standards are adopted, it is important those standards be consistent across chemistries sold on the US market, regardless of the country of origin. Requirements imposed only on domestic manufacturers will fail to address the problem considering the dominance of foreign manufacturers of lithium and other battery chemistries. Labelling standards must be identifiable and enforceable by US Customs Inspection officials to ensure that batteries entering the US market are compliant and do not pose additional hazards.<\/p>\n
Battery labelling best practices should also consider, in addition to a recycling and chemistry disclosure marking, additional safety and hazard information to inform users and recyclers of necessary storage requirements, fire hazards, and other information. OSHA and CPSC labelling regulations provide ample guidance and foundation.<\/p>\n
Labelling is not a panacea, however, and even reliable labelling cannot eliminate risks entirely without additional safeguards built into collection and transportation channels. All participants in the collection and return chain must be trained in the proper sorting and segregation of chemistries and in the safe handling and transportation of used batteries.<\/p>\n
Closing the loop through circularity<\/h3>\n With sound policies and industry initiative, we can replicate the circularity success of lead batteries across additional chemistries. However, the unique residual value of recyclable lead components may not directly transfer to other battery types.<\/p>\n
Most lithium-ion recycling is unprofitable today, without subsidies or processing fees. Achieving true circularity requires continued technological innovation to improve economics. Industry must collaborate with regulators in pursuing pragmatic advancement of both recycling and collection infrastructure. With patience and purpose, commercially viable recycling pathways can be developed for emerging applications.<\/p>\n
The alternative is simply unacceptable: Deepening and growing the known environmental and safety threats. We must, therefore, learn from the proven lead battery industry playbook to enable safe battery disposal across the energy storage landscape.<\/p>\n
A battery waste crisis is not inevitable. Averting it requires intentional action, beginning today. With foresight now towards sustainable collection and economically viable reprocessing, our clean energy future remains a path towards circularity.<\/p>\n
Please note, this article will also appear in the seventeenth edition of our\u00a0quarterly publication<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Roger Miksad, President of Battery Council International, explains how the path to sustainability will need to include existing battery recycling as well as the development of new batteries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":42855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24204],"tags":[24412,24546],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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