[SMM New Energy News Flash] The Ecological Environment Bureau of Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia, announced the acceptance of the Environmental Impact Assessment for Xinlong Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.’s 5,000-ton annual waste battery recycling project. This marks a significant step in the region’s battery recycling efforts, with a total investment of 5 million RMB and dedicated safety measures such as a separate temporary storage area for waste lithium batteries. Against the backdrop of rapid growth in the global new energy industry, retired lithium batteries often called “urban mines” are driving intense domestic and international competition in recycling networks, technical standards, and resource utilization. Major Chinese companies such as Tianqi Lithium and Huayou Recycling, are expanding investment and global cooperation to enhance battery recycling efficiency, standardization, and sustainability. The recent establishment of China Recycling Resources Group further underscores national strategic efforts to build a unified circular economy system. The government is strengthening regulations through measures like the upcoming national standard “Lithium-ion Battery Coding Rules,” effective November 1, 2025, which assigns a unique digital ID to each battery, ensuring full lifecycle traceability. With China being the largest producer and consumer of lithium batteries, a closed-loop system from production to recycling is taking shape, and regional clusters