China Currently Has 162,000 Battery Recycling-Related Enterprises, Mainly Small Businesses

On December 20, data from Qichacha showed that in terms of registrations, over the past decade, the number of registered enterprises related to battery recycling in China has increased year by year. Particularly in 2021, the annual registration volume surged by 300.0% YoY to 27,400, marking the highest growth rate in the past decade. In 2023, the registration volume reached 46,200, setting a new record for the past decade. As of December 19, 2024, China had registered 40,200 related enterprises.

In terms of existing enterprises, China currently has 162,000 battery recycling-related enterprises. The industry is primarily concentrated in wholesale and retail, with 76,000 enterprises accounting for 46.7%, followed by enterprises in scientific research and technical services, with 34,000 enterprises accounting for 21.1%.

In terms of registered capital, among the existing battery recycling-related enterprises with disclosed registered capital, those with a registered capital of less than 1 million yuan account for the largest proportion at 30.9%, followed by enterprises with a registered capital between 1 million and 2 million yuan, accounting for 21.6%. Overall, the battery recycling industry in China is dominated by small enterprises, with 52.5% of enterprises having a registered capital of less than 2 million yuan.

In terms of policies, on December 18, the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilisation of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the "Administrative Measures for the Recycling and Comprehensive Utilisation of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Bicycles (Draft for Comments)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Draft for Comments").

Regarding general requirements, the "Draft for Comments" specifies that electric bicycle producers should collaborate with lithium battery producers during the product R&D phase to enhance green design and improve the disassembly, recyclability, and maintainability of products. Electric bicycle producers should take primary responsibility for recycling used lithium batteries, leveraging existing recycling channels to build a recycling network and provide recycling services.

The "Draft for Comments" also specifies that electric bicycle producers, lithium battery producers, instant delivery companies, electric bicycle sharing operators, battery leasing operators, electric bicycle repair outlets, recycling service outlets, comprehensive utilisation enterprises, and other entities or individuals generating used lithium batteries should fulfill their respective responsibilities to ensure the proper transfer and scientific utilisation of used lithium batteries. Electric bicycle producers should establish dedicated institutions in the administrative regions (provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities) where their products are sold. Instant delivery companies, electric bicycle sharing operators, battery leasing operators, and others should establish dedicated institutions or assign dedicated personnel in the administrative regions where their products are used or operated to handle local used lithium battery recycling tasks.