Australia could lead the world in reusing and recycling lithium-ion battery waste.
That’s according to a new report from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), titled Lithium battery recycling in Australia.’
About 3300 tonnes of lithium-ion (li-ion) battery waste is produced annually in Australia alone, of which only about 2% is recycled, Manufacturers’ Monthly reports.
This waste from electronic and household devices, plus electric vehicle batteries, is growing by 2% annually.
The CSIRO report says that if recycled, 95% of waste components of li-ion batteries could be turned into new batteries or used in other industries. By comparison, of the 150,000 tonnes of lead-acid batteries sold in 2010, 98% were recycled.
Most of Australia’s battery waste is shipped overseas, and remaining waste put in landfill – leading to potential fires and environmental contamination.
An effective recycling industry could stabilise global lithium supplies to meet consumer demand, the report adds.
CSIRO has research underway on processes for recovery of metals and materials, development of new battery materials, and support for the circular economy around battery reuse and recycling.
“As a world leader in the adoption of solar and battery systems, we must responsibly manage our use of lithium-ion technology in support of our clean energy future; CSIRO has set out a pathway to do this,” CSIRO battery research leader Dr Anand Bhatt says.
He says Australia can draw additional value from existing materials, minimising environmental impact, and establishing a new industry in li-ion re-use/recycling.
Australian Battery Recycling Initiative chief executive officer Libby Chaplin says the report comes at a critical time.
“Currently we are racing towards a world where lithium batteries are a very big part of our energy supply, yet we have some real work to do to ensure we are able to recycle the end product once it has reached its use-by date.”
The report also suggested research, government and industry work closely to develop standards and best-practice solutions.
The 2017 Commodity Research Book Battery Raw Material Review says global consumption of lithium carbonate is expected to grow from 184,000 tonnes in 2015 to 534,000 tonnes in 2025, mainly through rapid adoption of electric vehicles, e-bikes and energy storage systems.
A Victorian business is reported to the first in Australia to recycle li-ion batteries. Envirostream Australia’s A$2 million facility at New Gisborne, north of Melbourne, recycled 240,000kgs last year.
A ban on sending e-waste to landfill in that state is due to be implemented on July 1, 2019.
