New Power Progress | Lithium battery recycling: where does the industry stand? Part 1

Flash Battery, an Italy-based specialist in lithium ferro-phosphate (LFP) batteries for off-highway and industrial applications, explains how lithium batteries have to be disposed of and recycled at the end of their operational life

This article explores the current aspects of disposal and recycling as well as new, more sustainable lithium technologies. The disposal and recycling of batteries in a safe and efficient is becoming a topical subject, not only from an ethical point of view linked to circular economy, but also because lithium-ion batteries used in modern mobility contain various precious metals and other substances which if not suitably treated could be harmful to the environment.

The recovery of minerals used in batteries will also help with increasing battery production demand, for which the mining limits of such materials are not enough (currently 35% and 25% of mined lithium and cobalt respectively is used to produce lithium batteries).