The following blog post provides a summary and outlook of the analysis ran by our partner ERION, in the framework of our project. To read the full report: D2.2 Best practices and optimisation of LIBs packaging, collection and logistics
Deliverable 2.2 focuses on packaging, collection, and logistics aspects of the End-of-Life (EoL) value chain of automotive LIBs. It aims at providing a snapshot of current actors, links, main issues and best practices related to the EoL phase. This information is obtained by interviewing different stakeholders, such as car dealerships, scrapyards, OEMs (original equipment manufacturer), PROs (producer responsibility owner) and logistic providers, with an eye on the differences between Italy and Spain. Then, the expected changes due to the adoption of the Battery Regulation2023/1542 and the uptake of the Digital Battery Passport (DBP) are explored, underlining potential weaknesses and strengths.
The following figure describes the current EoL of all type of batteries, underlining the actors involved in each stage and the differences between vehicles and portable batteries.
In the automotive industry, car retailers are responsible for disposing of lithium-ion batteries. Initially, they assess whether the batteries are critical or non-critical. Critical batteries are quarantined for as short a time as possible, and specialized technicians then take action. Non-critical batteries are stored and later collected by a logistics operator. These non-critical waste batteries are transported either directly to a treatment plant or, as an intermediate step, to a sorting facility. At the sorting facility, batteries are stored and categorized based on type and chemical composition. In Italy, where recycling plants are only now developing and are still at small capacities, waste batteries must cross borders to reach such facilities. At the treatment plant, batteries are recycled to produce 'black mass' (a concentrate of nickel and cobalt), as well as aluminium, steel, and copper. Italian Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) oversee the transport from the car retailers to the sorting plants, ensuring that producers meet their collection targets and manage the end of life of their products.
An in-depth analysis of the current best practices and challenges in the above mentioned EoL LIBs value chain has been carried out, both from a systematic and safety perspectives. Specifically, ERION collected a set of guidelines to safely manage and store waste batteries, considering the frequent accidents that might take place in handling these EoL products. In the graph below, criticalities and the related guidelines/best practices are reported to summarize the main outcomes of deliverable 2.2.
The EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 has been studied to highlight changes and related challenges and opportunities to improve the current EoL value chain. The goal is to provide the deliverable with a realistic overview of the European EoL legislative landscape. The Regulation is indeed a transformative framework aimed at fostering a circular, sustainable, and efficient lifecycle for batteries. It introduces a marked distinction between EVs and LMTs in e-mobility due to the constant increase of sales of these vehicles and related waste volumes. Measures such as carbon footprint declarations, and recycling/recovery targets have been introduced. The so-called secondary legislation will provide detailed guidelines on how to calculate these parameters. These measures should take into consideration best available techniques and processes not entailing excessive costs, given that this would mean a stronger resistance to adoption. The regulation also endorses re-manufacturing and second life solutions, tackling the issue of overlapping of the definitions of waste and EoL batteries. Now, there are no strategies to reuse EoL batteries that are still in good state, and recycling is the only option. Moreover, the Digital Battery Passport (DBP) is introduced to enhance transparency and traceability, fostering the sharing of data between producers and end of life actors. However, some challenges may arise in its implementation, including securing sensitive information, data management, and the practical utilization of the DBP. Stakeholders share concerns regarding the absence of a unique model of the DBP, and they are working to prototype versions of it that must comply with the regulation.
The following figure describes the value-chain of batteries, and for each stage there are blue and/or green dots to underline the topics tackled by the respective legislation. It is evident that the New Battery regulation is a positive step toward ensuring the circularity of batteries, reducing reliance on critical raw materials, and transitioning to a circular economy.
