Executive Summary

• Japan has developed a method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries.
• The process could make recycling more cost-effective and reduce waste.
• Experts say the key to successful recycling is not just recovery percentage, but also the cost and environmental impact.

The Buzz Score

The Internet’s Verdict: 70% Hyped, 30% Skeptical

Expert Opinions

Experts in the field have mixed reactions to the news. Some say it’s not surprising that high recovery percentages are possible, given the high purity of lithium in EV batteries.

It really should not be surprising that we can get very high recovery percentages from batteries — we do not mine elemental lithium, so the processes we use for extraction are already designed to extract lithium from fairly low-purity sources.

Others point out that the key to successful recycling is not just the recovery percentage, but also the cost and environmental impact of the process.

The key point will be the energy inputs, and catalyst or other process input losses. Not the % recovery, its more recovery at an economically viable cost

Comparison to Other Recycling Methods

Some experts compare the recycling of lithium-ion batteries to the recycling of lead-acid batteries, which has become highly efficient over time.

Redwood Materials claims to be able to recover over 95% of materials like nickel, cobalt, copper, aluminum, lithium, and graphite in a lithium-ion battery.

Focus Keyword: Lithium Recycling