By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)
January 11, 2016 06:19:01 AM
SPOKANE (Scrap Monster): The latest report published by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) predicts considerable increase in electric vehicle battery recycling rates. The report also outlines the best practices in recapturing and recycling the materials used in electric drive vehicle (EDV) batteries.
The report titled “Environmentally Sound Management of End-of-Life Batteries from Electric-Drive Vehicles in North America” indicates that the EDV market in North America has surged significantly higher during the past 10 years. This should boost the supply of end-of-life batteries, which presents a vital opportunity to recycle and recapture the valuable materials such as nickel, cobalt and steel. However, changes in composition of batteries may affect the economic benefits out of recycling process, as less valuable materials may dent the feasibility of recovery/recycling operation.
According to the report, nearly 276,000 EDV batteries are assumed to have reached end-of-life in North America by the end of 2015. Most of these batteries are likely to be nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries which predominantly contain nickel in them. Also, over the next 15 years, almost 1.5 million EDV batteries are expected to reach end-of-life. Out of them, almost half will be lithium-based, whereas the rest will be NiMH batteries.
There has been marked improvements in recovery and recycling efforts. Key automakers including Toyota and Honda are in the process of establishing reverse supply chains to ensure proper recovery and recycling of end-of-life EDV batteries. Companies such as Retriev, RMC, Umicore, Glencore/Xstrata already have full-fledged battery recycling units. The smelting units of some of these companies have already shown interest in recycling of EDV batteries, in order to retrieve the metal content in them.
The number of players in recycling and recapturing of end-of-life EDV batteries is limited currently. However, existing large players in the market are seen expansion their operation facilities on account of anticipated huge growth in supply of EDV batteries. More number of new players are also likely to emerge over the next few years, the report says. The report also warns that government should come up with appropriate legislation so as to ensure that these players strictly follow environmentally sound recycling practices.
