Volvo Cars Group

Position paper on battery recycling in electromobility

The Verband Deutscher Metallhändler und Recycler e.V. (VDM) and the Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Stahlrecycling- und Entsorgungsunternehmen e.V. (BDSV) have published their position paper on battery recycling in electromobility. In view of the growing production of electric vehicles and the increasing quantities of used batteries, the associations are calling for clearer political framework conditions to enable a functioning circular economy.

‘The automotive industry must be held more accountable for making batteries recyclable. Battery generations such as the cell-to-pack design make recycling considerably more difficult. Sustainable battery design must already be anchored in the development phase,’ say the associations.

The position paper emphasises five key requirements:

Design for recycling: the development of batteries must be geared towards their recyclability in order to promote the circular economy.

Harmonisation of regulations: Standardisation of waste legislation and digitalisation of notification procedures for cross-border transports are urgently needed.

Expansion of processing capacities: Further capacities for processing ‘black mass’ must be created across Europe in order to recover important raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and lithium.

Promoting investment: Risky investments in the circular economy should be safeguarded by government measures and authorisation procedures should be accelerated.

Balanced regulation of pollutants: Raw material security must be taken into account when setting limit values in order to prevent the loss of valuable recycling materials.

The associations emphasise the urgency of these measures in order to meet the challenges of battery recycling and secure the supply of raw materials in the long term. ‘A circular value chain can only work with clear political guidelines and a stronger commitment from the industry,’ the associations conclude. To the position paper.