Recycling electric car batteries, an ecological issue with a circular solution

Materials used today in EV batteries are not always recovered at their maximum value. These are much more difficult to recycle than traditional lead-acid batteries due to their make-up of hundreds of lithium cells, requiring dedicated expertise to treat. Many of the materials required for battery manufacturing rely on traditional water and energy-intensive processes. It is estimated that 500,000 gallons of water is required to extract one tonne of lithium using this type of mining. Urban mining or the use of recycled materials could reduce water consumption as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions from battery production by up to 50%.

Recycling electric vehicle batteries across the globe

At Veolia, we have been recycling EV batteries across the globe since 2013. In our recycling plant in eastern France, batteries are dismantled and undergo a combination of mechanical and hydrometallurgical processes to make it possible to treat the active cells and extract the active metals. These metals are then used by industry and transformed into new materials, setting a precedent for how used batteries can contribute to a circular economy.

In China, we have recently started production at a new high-capacity plant, a joint venture with local actors from the battery ecosystem. We also partnered with Solvay and Group Renault to launch a consortium on creating a circular value ecosystem for electric and hybrid vehicle batteries in Europe. This will enable scarce raw materials to be reused through closed-loop recycling. Work to develop additional projects is under way, including in the United States.