The Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Process from a Circular Economy Perspective—A Review and Future Directions

Rahil Parag Sheth, Narendra Singh Ranawat, Ayon Chakraborty, Rajesh Prasad Mishra and Manoj Khandelwal ()
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Rahil Parag Sheth: Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 333031, India
Narendra Singh Ranawat: Operations Management, Rajasthan Technical University, Kota 324010, India
Ayon Chakraborty: Institute of Innovation, Science and Sustainability, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC 3350, Australia
Rajesh Prasad Mishra: Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 333031, India
Manoj Khandelwal: Institute of Innovation, Science and Sustainability, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC 3350, Australia

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Ever since the introduction of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in the 1970s, their demand has increased exponentially with their applications in electric vehicles, smartphones, and energy storage systems. To cope with the increase in demand and the ensuing environmental effects of excessive mining activities and waste production, it becomes crucial to explore ways of manufacturing LIBs from the resources that have already been extracted from nature. It is possible by promoting the re-usage, refurbishing, and recycling of the batteries and their constituent components, rethinking the fundamental design of devices using these batteries, and introducing the circular economy model in the battery industry. This paper through a literature review provides the current state of CE adoption in the lithium-ion battery industry. The review suggests that the focus is mostly on recycling at this moment in the battery industry, and a further understanding of the process is needed to better adapt to other CE practices such as reuse, remanufacture, refurbishment, etc. The paper also provides the steps involved in the recycling process and, through secondary case studies, shows how some of the industries are currently approaching battery recycling. Thus, this paper, through review and secondary cases, helps us to understand the current state of LIB recycling and CE adoption.

Keywords: lithium-ion batteries; circular economy; battery recycling; battery reuse; sustainability; environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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