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Future worlds without fossil fuels will be powered by batteries. We could even sleepwalk into another source of environmental degradation as we tackle one. The era is now of electric vehicles, and recycling their batteries has become a major issue for Elon-skeptics.
We are not prepared for the flood of old EV batteries that is coming our way. Batteries are a threat to the Earth, causing havoc for ecosystems and poisoning wildlife and humans. Our current performance shows that the future is not bright. Today, 5 percent of all batteries are recycled in Europe and the U.S.
Recycling batteries must be made a priority to avoid causing another environmental disaster. If we want to live in the 21st century, we need to raise public awareness, encourage investors and get political support.
Lithium-ion battery power is used in electric vehicles. These batteries are the same ones that power our smartphones and laptops in our personal and professional lives. They are all 100% recyclable, but that doesn’t make them ineligible for recycling.
This problem is only going to get worse as EVs and consumer electronics become ever more ubiquitous. Analysts predict that by 2030, there will be over 100 billion EVs worldwide. 2 million metric tonnes of lithium-ion battery.
If lithium-ion batteries are not properly stored, handled, or disposed of, they can pose safety risks to people, property, and the environment. According to a battery management expert Call2RecycleBatteries, especially lithium-based batteries, can overheat or shortcircuit and cause a fire which could pose a danger to people and property.
In 2019, Waste36048 inquiries and five complaints were received about 333 landfill fires. deaths. Beyond human tragedy, these fires release dangerous greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. They also pose a risk to large-scale forest fires and property damage.
While there have been significant improvements in recycling over these past 20 years battery recycling is still far behind. Our ability to recycle batteries is alarmingly low, as well as our awareness and motivation to do it. The rapid increase in the use lithium-ion batteries has left the recycling infrastructure with much to do. Experts predict that by 2025, recycling will be at its peak. Recyclers are racing to increase their capacity. 398,000 tonnes of batteries will start to age out electric vehicles and will need reuse, recycling, or becoming waste.
The public has been encouraged to recycle cardboard, plastics and glass through aggressive PR campaigns. Be concerned that a similar awareness campaign is yet to be launched for batteries. Tossing out cardboard is taboo. This taboo should be extended to batteries.
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There is a huge opportunity for economic growth, besides the environmental impact of battery recycling. There are approximately Ten times more copper is used in electric vehicles than in traditional vehicles. Copper demand will rise due to electric vehicles. By 2027, 1,700 kilotons will be available
Copper, a very expensive metal, can be recycled to create a functioning circular economy. The U.S. Geological Survey predicts that 60% of all copper will come from recycled scrap. This prediction was made in 2018. 870,000 items were recovered by U.S. recycling companies 34 percent of the U.S.’s copper needs were met by 34 metric tons.
This is a huge business opportunity we are not recognizing. We can boost our battery recycling infrastructure to supercharge electric vehicle production and rely less on the need to mine precious metals from overseas.
There is action, but not at the required scale. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is currently being negotiated. CongressA recent draft included over $6 billion for the battery manufacturing industry—roughly half of that money could go toward recycling.
JB Straubel, who may be familiar to you as the co-founder, founded JB Straubel a few weeks ago. TeslaIt was Interview with CNBCHis latest venture, which involved the construction of the largest North American battery recycling plants.
Also, new legislation is slowly taking shape. Washington, D.C., was the first year of the year. D.C. has mandated that producers are not allowed to dispose batteries of any other than through battery recycling programs. This will apply to residents and businesses starting in 2023.
There are still 25 states that have no legislation regarding electronic recycling or batteries. The electric car revolution will have a net positive impact on our fight against climate change. But, only if we manage it responsibly.
We must keep our eyes on the present. There are many. There are more electronic devices than human beings todayWe will have another environmental crisis if battery recycling is not made a regular part of our lives.
The majority of people have yet to get electric cars. We will need to have better awareness and infrastructure for battery recycling when they are ready. Before we can focus on hypothetical batteries, let’s first look at real ones. This is a test; if our battery recycling fails to be supercharged now, we’ll be woefully unprepared.
John Shegerianis the chairperson and CEO of ERI, the largest cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction and electronic waste recycling company in the United States.
The views expressed in this article represent the writer’s personal opinions.
