While there are numerous benefits associated with recycling lithium-ion batteries, certain obstacles, both economic and technical in nature, continue to exist. It is important to acknowledge that even though recycling these batteries brings about several advantages, there are legitimate challenges that need to be addressed.
Despite the significant growth of the electric vehicle industry in the last two decades, there remains a notable absence of a strong economic incentive to recycle used lithium-ion batteries. To fully capitalize on the potential material savings that recycling offers, a comprehensive policy framework is needed to facilitate the coordination of various aspects such as collection, transportation, design, quality assurance, and accountability. However, the implementation of such a large-scale industry restructuring has yet to occur primarily because, except for cobalt, manufacturing new batteries from virgin materials is often easier and more cost-effective than reusing old batteries.
The reason why there is a price difference between mining metals and recycling metals from lithium-ion batteries is due to the advancements in mining technology throughout the 20th century, which made it easier and cheaper to extract metals from the earth. On the other hand, extracting metals from spent lithium-ion batteries has remained relatively expensive, which has contributed to the price gap between the two methods of obtaining metals.
LIBs face various challenges in transportation, storage, manual testing, and disassembly. One notable difference between LIBs and conventional vehicle batteries is their size: LIBs are typically large slabs that cover the entire length and width of a car. Consequently, shipping costs account for approximately 40% of the total recycling cost due to their substantial weight and dimensions. Additionally, during transit, LIBs pose a storage risk due to their use of reactive metals, organic chemicals, and potential fire hazards. Furthermore, these batteries contain toxic materials, making it unsafe to store significant quantities of LIBs in anticipation of improved extraction techniques. It is crucial to address these concerns for the safe handling and recycling of LIBs.
Testing and disassembly of lithium-ion batteries pose similar risks as that of their storage. Dana Thompson, a PhD researcher in LIB recycling at the University of Leicester, warns that if a Tesla battery is cut too deep or in the wrong place, it could cause a short-circuit, burn, and release toxic fumes. Therefore, disassembly needs to be carried out with great care, with skilled automotive technicians who have received high voltage training and use insulated tools. However, such technicians are not readily available. Moreover, due to the marked structural variations and continuous developments in cathode chemistry, establishing a standard framework for such work is a near-impossible task.