Sustainable materials and technologies · 2014 · 445 citations · 2 references
Recycling automotive lithium‑ion batteries is not yet established and will be needed only in another decade, creating a window to pre‑empt technical, economic, and institutional roadblocks. The study projects the future when spent batteries reach final disposition and outlines actions that can be taken now to avoid impediments and secure economical, sustainable recycling options. It presents a working recycling system modeled after lead‑acid battery recycling.
This paper looks ahead, beyond the projected large-scale market penetration of vehicles containing advanced batteries, to the time when the spent batteries will be ready for final disposition. It describes a working system for recycling, using lead–acid battery recycling as a model. Recycling of automotive lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is more complicated and not yet established because few end-of-life batteries will need recycling for another decade. There is thus the opportunity now to obviate some of the technical, economic, and institutional roadblocks that might arise. The paper considers what actions can be started now to avoid the impediments to recycling and ensure that economical and sustainable options are available at the end of the batteries' useful life.
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