The European Council today approved a new regulation who enforces the laws on the sustainability of batteries and battery waste. The new rules will cover the entire life cycle of batteries, from production to reuse and recycling, ensuring that they are safe, sustainable and competitive. The regulation will apply to all batteries, including portable batteries, electric, industrial and micro-mobility vehicles (e-bikes, e-scooters and e-scooters). Here is what changes with the publication of the European regulation on the recycling of batteries.

EUROPE LAYS THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY WIDENING TO ALL TYPES OF BATTERIES

The main objective of the new rules is to promote the circular economy and regulate batteries throughout their life cycle. This means establishing end-of-life requirements, including collection targets and obligations, targets for material recovery and the extended producer responsibility which we talk about in this study on the recycling of batteries for electric and hybrid cars. Used batteries contain many valuable resources that can be extracted and reused as raw materials rather than relying exclusively on supplies from non-EU countries. The new rules will boost the competitiveness of European industry and ensure that new batteries are sustainable and contribute to the green transition. “THE batteries I am essential to the decarbonization process and the EU’s shift to a zero-emission mode of transport”he stated Therese RiberaSpanish Minister for Ecological Transition.

WHAT THE REGULATION SETS ABOUT RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF BATTERIES

The regulations establish targets for manufacturers on the collection of used batteries (waste) transportable and from light means of transport. It also introduces a collection target dedicated to van battery waste and sets a target of recovery of lithium and other metals battery waste with mandatory minimum levels of recycled content for industrial, SLI and electric vehicle batteries. Down here what the EU regulation on the recovery, recycling and reuse of recycled materials for batteries and batteries establishes:

• collection dedicated to waste transport piles light, 51% by the end of 2028 and 61% by the end of 2031;
• collection waste of portable batteries63% by the end of 2027 e 73% by the end of 2030;
• lithium recovery battery waste, 50% by the end of 2027 And 80% by the end of 2031. The minimum threshold values ​​may be modified by delegated acts depending on technological developments, the market and the availability of lithium;
• nickel-cadmium battery recycling80% by the end of 2025;
• recycling of all other types of portable batteriesto 50% by the end of 2025. Also, from from 2027all portable batteries must be replaceable directly by the user in new devices (e.g. smartphones).

NEED FOR RECYCLED RAW MATERIALS IN THE PRODUCTION OF NEW BATTERIES

In order to ensure a fair functioning of the internal market for batteries, the regulation introduces labeling and information requirements, including battery carbon footprint information, an electronic battery passport via QR Code and detailed information on the amount of recycled raw materials in the battery. In this regard, manufacturers will have to comply with these mandatory minimum values ​​of recycled raw materials in the production of new batteries:

• industrial batteries, drums Of Good will based on lead known as SLI (Starting Lighting Ignition) and batteries for electric vehicles16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and 6% for nickel.

EUROBAT: EU REGULATION IS GOOD, BUT INVOLVING BATTERY MANUFACTURERS

These new rules aim to reduce environmental and social impacts throughout the life cycle of batteries and establish rules for operators who must verify the origin of the raw materials used for batteries placed on the market. After the signature of the Council and the European Parliament on regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the EU and will enter into force 20 days later. The European Association of Industrial and Automotive Battery Manufacturers (EUROBAT), commented favorably on the adoption of the regulation by the Council and the European Parliament, but it is now necessary to clarify the methods by which the regulation must be complied with.

In a Linkedin post, Eurobat explains that “THE the path is far from complete since the proposal includes many aspects of secondary law which need to be developed effectively. Eurobat remains convinced that the European Commission will actively involve i battery manufacturers in a comprehensive analysis determine the most appropriate wording of delegated and implementing acts that will advance the decarbonisation of energy and mobility systems through batteries”.