Timeline for establishing a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The electrification of road transport is not in doubt. Still, its rate of adoption and the concomitant waste handling issues accompanying it are a matter of conjecture. While practical solutions have been proposed and, in some cases, trialled, the timeline for technology adoption has not been set out. Some regions have policies for dealing with waste, but there is significant doubt whether the targets are achievable. This review outlines the factors affecting technology adoption and a proposed timeline for achieving circularity. Many factors affecting the adoption timeline involve the quality and sustainability of the product itself and the ability of the market to adapt to improved battery chemistries. This is tensioned by the need of the industry to exploit the invested capital and to retain consumer confidence. Given a 12–15 years lag between production and recycling, many of the changes required to deal with a large market by 2040 need to be implemented by standards or policy. All stakeholders drive the direction of future battery chemistries, affecting the sustainability of materials and the success of achieving circularity. This review highlights the issues in developing international recycling policy with projected waste mass flow projections and issues with current policy with the projected apparent timeline.