Lithium Battery Recycling

Businesses producing waste lithium batteries need a collection route that matches the battery type, size and condition. We’ll provide suitable containers and a collection schedule for batteries from IT equipment, power tools, portable devices, industrial equipment and other commercial sources.

Safe lithium battery disposal is vital as old and damaged ones pose a risk of fires and explosions. This is due to thermal runway, which generates intense heat and gas within the battery. Exposure to high heat, compression, punctures, damage, and other factors can cause a chemical reaction that results in thermal runway.

Lithium batteries are a type of hazardous waste as they contain harmful and dangerous substances. Exposure to lithium can cause health problems including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and shortness of breath. Handling old lithium batteries carefully and separating them from other waste by storing them in hazardous waste bins before disposal is vital.

Lithium and lithium-ion batteries can be recycled at specialist battery treatment facilities. Batteries are sorted and processed so materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, aluminium and plastics can be separated for further recovery. However, the process is more complex than recycling other batteries because they contain lithium, which is a highly reactive element. Not all elements of a lithium-ion battery are recyclable, but most materials are recoverable. There are specialist recycling centres and facilities that recycle lithium batteries.

Current Environment Agency guidance says lithium-ion battery treatment can produce a material known as black mass, which undergoes further chemical or thermal processing to recover metals used in battery electrodes. The exact recovery rate and process depend on the battery chemistry and recycling facility, so it’s better to say lithium batteries are recyclable rather than claim every component is always recovered.

It’s also not possible to recycle lithium batteries indefinitely. The metals they contain can be recycled many times, but it can affect the purity. By the end of 2040 it’s expected there could be 350,000 tonnes of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries in the UK. Therefore efforts to recycle lithium batteries are predicted to grow.

At Business Waste we help find solutions so you can recycle lithium batteries of any type, size, and condition. We never send any lithium batteries to landfill or for incineration – not only is this illegal but it’s terrible for the environment. Li-ion battery recycling is the best disposal method.

Old lithium batteries are discharged before they undergo mechanical and chemical separation processes. The lithium batteries are dismantled (sometimes by hand) to remove valuable assets for reuse. Often a heat-based smelting process (pyrometallurgy) or a liquid-based leaching process (hydrometallurgy) are used. Research and developments are ongoing into recycling lithium batteries to improve the processes.

The process of recycling lithium-ion batteries involves extracting reusable materials that are used to create new lithium batteries. This includes copper and aluminium, which are used in the anode and cathode of the batteries. Other valuable raw materials extracted include cobalt, lithium, manganese, and nickel salts mixed with graphite.

The exact process varies by battery chemistry and facility, but lithium-ion battery recycling can generally involve:

• Sorting and preparation: batteries are identified by type and condition and prepared safely for treatment.
• Discharging or dismantling where required: larger packs may need removal of components before treatment.
• Mechanical processing: batteries can be shredded or broken down so metals, plastics and other fractions can be separated.
• Black mass recovery: electrode material known as black mass can undergo further chemical or thermal treatment to recover materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.

Tell us what lithium batteries your business needs to dispose of, how many there are and whether any are damaged, swollen or leaking. We’ll confirm the appropriate container and collection route.

Get free bins for your waste lithium-ion batteries with Business Waste. There are no delivery charges or rental fees – you only cover the collection costs. We can collect any type, size, and number of old lithium batteries from anywhere in the UK thanks to our nationwide network. Standard battery containers can be supplied without rental or delivery charges where available, and the relevant waste transfer or hazardous waste documentation is provided where required.

Licensed waste carriers will remove your lithium batteries and transport them to a specialist recycling facility for responsible and legal disposal. This aligns with our zero waste to landfill policy and ensures disposal methods align with relevant UK regulations. You’ll receive a free duty of care certificate for added peace of mind.