European Commission report calls for new recycling category for Light-EV batteries

Waste collection and recycling rates for batteries used in light vehicles such as e-bikes could be improved by instituting a fifth category of recycling, according to a report.

Initiated by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, the study calls for an update of the existing collection rules.

The current 2006 Battery Directive currently identifies three categories of batteries. A fourth, relating to batteries used in electric vehicles (EV), is already part of a new battery regulation proposed from December 2020.

The additions suggested by the Research Center report concern the establishment of specific collection targets for recycling in the fifth suggested category.

This is important since current collection targets correlate with the relative lifespan of less innovative products. With e-bike batteries typically used for 9 years, going against the supposed three specified by conventional collection targets, the waste generated becomes available at a much later date. This serves to scramble the recorded collection data while preventing the safe and efficient collection of used batteries by failing to take into account the volume of waste generated several years along the line.

To remedy this problem, the report suggests the establishment of a return channel for batteries from these light means of transport (LMT), including sports shops, bicycle dealers and scooters. It also recommends the alignment of non-collection requirements (eg durability, information or reconditioning) with the characteristics of LMT batteries.

The report primarily advocates the adoption of an “Available for Collection” (AfC) method to establish collection rate targets. Since batteries used in light vehicles have a lifecycle of several years, using sales figures (“market targets”) to calculate the volume of waste does not seem prescient.

Adopting the alternative approach would already have collection targets by 2025 instead of 2030.