Page 21 from: New issue out now!

BATTERIES
21recyclinginternational.com | September/October | 2020
stations to enhance the recycling
infrastructure in the EV segment. ‘It
would be super convenient for con-
sumers as they would no longer have
to worry about their car losing power
along the way. This could potentially
drive the even greater adoption of
EVs, generating more volume for bat-
tery recyclers.’
better safe than sorry
You cannot consider batteries without
thinking about hazardous goods,
argues Paul Hernley, engineer at US
firm Battery Solutions. ‘Regulations
makes battery recycling more compli-
cated than it needs to be,’ he argues.
At the moment, US regulations for
storing waste batteries dictate they
cannot be kept at one location for
longer than 90 or 180 days, depend-
ing on the volume. ‘So, technically, a
facility simply storing waste batteries
is automatically labelled as a genera-
tor of hazardous waste,’ Hernley adds.
He points out that damaged lithium-
ion batteries are now handled as uni-
versal waste. Under this classification,
they can be stored up to a year, either
mixed or sorted by type. ‘Given these
specifications, Battery Solutions
counts as a small universal waste gen-
erator,’ Hernley adds.
‘We prefer to ship batteries by road
and our customers do the same. It is
possible to transport them by rail but
in this case you have to accept full
responsibility for any incidents even if
you are not at fault,’ he tells delegates
in Salzburg. ‘No one really feels com-
fortable doing that. We regularly
receive shipments of batteries with
the lid not properly secured, leaving
the batteries vulnerable. Some don’t
have enough cushioning materials –
these are vital!’
Shipping used batteries by boat is not
usual practice for most US recyclers at
present. ‘Long distance means worries
about thermal runaway and not many
shipping companies are willing to take
on this risk. It can cost you EUR 40
000 per container to ship batteries
with proper paperwork,’ Hernley says.
‘This deters us from transporting bat-
teries to Europe, although I should
point out that more sustainable and
economically attractive recycling
options are being added in North
America. That is partly why the vol-
ume of batteries being exported to
Europe is going down.’
next generation probleMs
The engineer notes that consumer
trends pave the way for new battery
products and new end-of-life prob-
lems. ‘We’ve recently come across a
new concern: what to do with e-ciga-
rettes? Vaping, as it’s called, has
gained popularity fast in recent years
and young people are especially
eager to substitute regular cigarettes
with electric ones.’
It’s a waste stream that recyclers did
not anticipate. It has meant the cre-
ation of a new battery waste category
– one containing class 6 toxic chemi-
cals. ‘We are currently processing
vape products at a hazardous waste
facility – at a notably higher operating
cost, of course,’ Hernely says. ‘We
don’t yet have an elegant solution for
this new waste stream.’
On a positive note, Battery Solutions
has been working on storing e-bike
and e-scooter batteries so they can be
treated more efficiently. ‘It’s better to
process these batteries separately.
After all, these electronic light vehi-
cles have experienced high impacts
and exposure to the elements.
Tourists or children sometimes dump
them outdoors after use. They may
get run over or stuck in the rain for
days.’
MaKing the Most of lithiuM
‘We all know, cobalt means money,’ observes Dr Juan Manuel Perez of
Environbat in Spain. Generally, the price for lithium is between one-sixth
and one-quarter that of cobalt, depending on the volatility of the market. It
doesn’t help that the lithium content in a battery is very low.
Nor are there exact recycling figures for specific types of battery, for
instance lithium primary batteries versus lithium rechargeable batteries. ‘We
have placed-on-market figures but recycling figures are a mystery,’ Perez
remarks. ‘Does that mean we should skip recycling them altogether?’
He tells delegates about the innovative ReLiBane R&D project which is
aimed at recovering lithium with minimum risks and costs. ‘We are able to
treat different types and we render all batteries inert before treatment. Our
process is effective yet simple and the best thing is that it works at room
temperature,’ Perez adds.
‘All chemicals and fluids can be recovered and reused. Finally, we reclaim
the lithium carbonate with at least 95% purity.’ Lithium carbonate can be
returned to battery producers.
‘The next step is setting up a pilot plant with a capacity of around 10 000
tonnes per year. My team is very enthusiastic about the results and we
would like to achieve commercialisation sooner rather than later.’ He adds
with a grin, ‘I know we have to take it a day at a time. It’s not like we can
build a multi-million facility overnight.’
Perez says the recycling method is feasible although he suggests the best
scenario is when battery producers help to pay for such schemes. ‘They
have to take responsibility. Then we can take battery recycling to new
heights.’
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