Just like manufacturing, recycling is not a project by itself in BATTERY 2030+, but a cross-functional part of all six research projects. The development of battery dismantling and recycling technologies with high efficiencies is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of the battery economy by 2030. The Commission proposed a new Batteries Regulation (with Annexes) in December 2020. This Regulation aims to ensure that batteries placed in the EU market are sustainable and safe throughout their entire life cycle. This calls for new, innovative and low-cost processes, as well as new logistics and business incentives.
The technical approaches range from direct recovery of the active materials, (instead of multistep recovery processes) to new recycling concepts, such as reconditioning or reusing electrodes. Industrial participation will be brought on board early with a coupling to material suppliers, cell and battery manufacturers, and recyclers.