The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Challenge

In the recent ‘Pathfinder: The Road to More Effective EPR in the U.S.’ published in the September/October Recycling Special Edition of WMW, Jennifer Nash and Christopher Bosso took a look at rechargeable batteries as one of four extended producer responsibility (EPR) models and examined their effectiveness through collection rates. Carl Smith, CEO and president of Call2Recycle explains some of the market factors impacting the collection and recycling of rechargeable batteries... While we appreciate that the article took an interest in Call2Recycle (formerly Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation) and rechargeable battery recycling, there are some key market factors that play into the low collection rates, including the following: Products in Products: Almost 90% of rechargeable batteries are sold with or in the products that they power, and are often built-in and not designed to be removed. Some jurisdictions, such as New York, Ontario and Quebec, make battery manufacturers responsible for the collection of batteries within products that otherwise are not subject to their own mandates, such as tablets, cordless shavers or mp3 players. Recent European data indicates that Lithium Ion batteries are not being separately returned for recycling but are being disposed of via the “host” products that they power Longevity of Battery: a battery’s life depends on the frequency of use. Therefore, a construction worker may need to replace the rechargeable battery in their cordless tools more frequently than the average DIY homeowner. More Waste Management World Articles The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Challenge Recycling: Rarely so Critical Hybrid Vehicle Battery Recycling Set for Take Off in U.S. Fine Grinding Project to Boost UK Battery Recycling CEC Report on Lead Acid Battery Recycling & Exports in North America Industrial Processes to Recycle Critical Metals from Batteries in Development VIDEO: Second Generation Optical Sorting System for Battery Recycling Lack of Clarity Around Battery Recycling Efficiency Targets For instance, according to a recent Battery Association of Japan (BAJ) study, the average life of a Nickel Cadmium power tool battery is almost 10 years. Unlike paper, plastic and glass which may be consumed immediately, rechargeable batteries do not have the same consumption rate.Therefore, a considerable amount of time may pass between when a battery enters the market and when it needs to be disposed and recycled Hoarding remains a challenge: research has shown that consumers often hold onto electronic products well after they’ve stopped using them - otherwise known as hoarding. In the same BAJ study, they found that on average, products are hoarded twice as long as their lifecycle. When the products have a perceived high value, consumers are less likely to dispose of the product and/or battery. So, public education continues to be at the core of Call2Recycle’s efforts. We agree that our actual collection numbers are “low by any means”; however, we still consider our efforts to have been successful thus far with over 75 million pounds of batteries collected since our inception. We recognise that there is always much more work to be done. In order to further battery recycling efforts, addressing the batteries in products and increasing consumer awareness will continue to be the foundation of our efforts. Carl Smith, CEO & President, Call2Recycle Read More The Lithium Battery Recycling Challenge Growing popularity of hybrid cars is driving the global demand for lithium but what about when these cars reach the end of their lives? Can Li-ion batteries be easily recycled? Aswin Kumar looks at the economics of recycling and current trials that are underway. New Recycling Machine to Pulverise and Devulcanize Tyre Waste from Pallmann Pallmann has launched a new grinding system for recycling of vulcanized rubber waste, such as tyres, back into fine powder for direct reuse in rubber processing. The Great Recovery’s WMW Video Channel The Great Recovery project has published videos looking at the practical challenges of reusing and recycling e-waste, textiles and other waste streams in its new WMW Video Channel.