On 10 December 2020, the European Commission published its proposal for a new Sustainable Batteries Regulation and repealed current directive 2006/66/EC. Directive becomes Regulation to ensure that all batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable, circular, and safe.

The industrial batteries, traction batteries and starter batteries with internal storage and with a capacity greater than 2 kWh will require technical documentation indicating the recycled cobalt, lead, lithium, and nickel content they contain from January 1, 2027.

Producers of batteries shall complete registration with the competent authority designated by each Member State and obtain a registration number. The remaining extended producer responsibilities include: organizing the collection of waste batteries and arranging for transport, reuse, remanufacture, disposal and recycling; reporting batteries placed on the market in member countries; promoting the separate collection of batteries and paying the corresponding fees; providing information on batteries including end-of-life information; and the costs of fulfilling the above responsibilities.

Except EU, battery recycling in the U.S. adopts the extended producer responsibility system and deposit system. Battery recycling disassembly to purify the raw materials and sold to the battery factory.

Federal government level: Strengthening the management of the regulation of the recycling of retired batteries with license

States: EPR + deposit system

Local city: Environmental protection publicity and strict implementation of regulation.

Strong public awareness of recycling with numerous institutions popularizing battery recycling

Meanwhile, the Lithium-Ion Battery production industry in Southeast Asia is still imperfect, and the technical strength of local enterprises is lacking. The downstream lithium recycling industry is also still at the beginning. However, due to the advantages of its mineral resources, especially the rich nickel ore resources in Indonesia, there have been enterprises going to the Southeast Asian market in recent years.

All companies in this energy space can do is constantly monitor the needs and attitudes of the customers and present their innovations in the best way possible so customers can embrace the change and adopt the new direction of innovation.