Better Battery Recycling Infrastructure Required in the UK, Study Shows
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 - 14:18:40
It is not just old mobile phone batteries which need to be processed at specialist facilities in order to ensure that they are recycled sustainably after they reach the end of their lives. A growing number of other battery-powered products are entering the market at the moment and will soon put greater strain on the available throughput of this sector.
This is the conclusion of a study conducted by a team at the University of Birmingham which reveals that the country will come up against a real battery recycling conundrum if it does not take action soon.
The most significant aspect of this issue is associated with the growing sales of electric cars, which rely on the same lithium ion battery technology that is found on board mobile phones and other devices. Since cars are significantly larger and require much bigger banks of Li-Ion batteries to function, having adequate capacity to deal with dead cells generated by the automotive industry will be vital in the near future.
Weighing in at 250kg, electric car batteries are hefty and unwieldy as well as containing potentially hazardous substances alongside precious materials that can be recovered through recycling.
The lifespan of an electric car battery is also shorter than that of the car itself, meaning many owners will need to get a replacement at some point further down the line. With each EV representing at least one battery that needs to be recycled, the sales growth seen in this market segment will soon create its own sustainability dilemmas.
Experts are also concerned about how old electric car batteries will be stored, since they are highly reactive and could combust, creating a safety hazard if not properly managed. This research will hopefully prompt action from the authorities to make changes before the issue evolves.
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