Final Recycling

[cadric]

Hi Guys,

first I wish a happy and healty new year to everybody.

Did anyone of you Powerwall builders think about the day, when your Powerwall hits end of life?
What plans do you have for old cells that are not useable anymore?

Last month for the first time I gave my useless cells to the urban pollutant collection in our city.
But I was directly told, they don't take complete e-Bike batteries, only single cells, and normally only 200gr.
And even the bike shops only need to take back the once they sold. Lead-Acid batteries is not that kind of an issue, they take what you give them.
I was lucky they took my carton of around 100 cells that time, will try it again the next collection but that made me wonder.
In Germany, up to now, there is now real recycling process. The only solution nowadays is called thermal recycling, which just means, burning the cells.
One of the collecting guys told me, he does not expect any kind of recycling process in the future either, because there is no money to make with this.
He even expects storing in large empty salz mines. But he may not be the cleverest Guys, else he would not work as a garbageman.
I myself found two different companies which are working on such a real recycling procedure but it is only Prove of concept up to now.

This discussion though made me think, if we are on the right track.
Never the less I like the fact, that we save good cells from being wasted to early, but government does not make it easy for us to follow that track, if we can't get ride of them at the end.
If I think how many good cells I got after 2 years from only one supplier, and how many good cells from all the other bike shops are thown into the fire,
that really makes me angry, although I don't see any kind of solution for this gordic knot.

What is your opinion on this?

regards

cadric

 

[hbpowerwall]

My local tip has an eWaste section, basically a 44gallon drum, I got there one day with about 4000 cells and promptly finished filling the drum, guy came over said you can't do that, I looked around for signage, law, SOMETHING that would indicate that I couldn't and there was nothing. Pointed it out an he just left. Last time I went back they had three drums lol https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/business/15526

 

[TheBatteries]

My local tip has an eWaste section, basically a 44gallon drum, I got there one day with about 4000 cells and promptly finished filling the drum, guy came over said you can't do that, I looked around for signage, law, SOMETHING that would indicate that I couldn't and there was nothing. Pointed it out an he just left. Last time I went back they had three drums lol https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/business/15526

It does say "Batteries - Rechargeable" which is what you put there... lol

 

[hbpowerwall]

That was my argument - there was also a sign that said lithium batteries from memory..

 

[ajw22]

In Germany, up to now, there is now real recycling process. The only solution nowadays is called thermal recycling, which just means, burning the cells.
One of the collecting guys told me, he does not expect any kind of recycling process in the future either, because there is no money to make with this.

I think they/you're confusing the various types of "burning".
There is "thermal recycling" to use burnable garbage to fuel special power stations that filter and clean all exhaust gases.
Then there's the "pyrometallurgical" recycling of melting down metals (eg. batteries) to then separate and purify the various component metals back to reusable quality.

They have no issues taking Lead Acid batteries, because it's a very established and profitable business. Apparently over 99% of lead is recycled.
Lithium Ion recycling is lagging behind, but the processes are improving. It's just a matter of time, with businesses interested in reusing expensive raw materials like Cobalt and Nickel, and of course environmental concerns over disposal as well as mining.

This German company is recycling LiIon batteries NOW, though apparently only taking whole EV packs for now.

 

[floydR]

Materials in lithium-ion batteries may be recycled for reuse

China expects to generate 2.5 billion end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from portable electronics such as smartphones and laptops in 2020, but very few are recycled. Although these batteries are discarded, the metals inside them are still valuable.

phys.org

Lithium-ion battery recycler to build New York facility

Canadian firm Li-Cycle Incorporated, which handles lithium-ion batteries from e-scrap and other sources, is developing a $175 million processing hub in the U.S. The Ontario-headquartered company on Sept. 14 announced plans for a facility capable of processing at least 10 …Continue Reading→

resource-recycling.com

Li-Cycle commercial lithium-ion battery recycling plant now operational in Rochester, NY

Li-Cycle Corp., North America’s largest capacity lithium-ion battery recycling company, announced that its Spoke 2 facility at Eastman Business Park (EBP) in Rochester, New York is now fully operational. The company’s Spoke 2 will produce an intermediate mixed battery material product (“black...

www.greencarcongress.com

later floyd

 

[cadric]

OK, thanks guys.

that gives me a little bit more hope, that our batteries will also be recyled for reuse one day.
But it will take time to have that available everywhere and also to be cheaper then mining.
Never the less it is the right track.

@hbpowerwall: Yes my company also has such a drum in the shop floor and I already put in some of my old cells and filled the drum so they had to call the recycling company.
Problem here is:,
1. my company has to pay for this and
2. I already heard more then once, that a recycling company burned down just after they were given Lithium Cells.
And I don't want to happen that to my company. So I have to find other ways to get ride of them.

@ajw22: now that you reminded me, I saw this video already some time ago and the funny thing is, the company is named like the famous inventor from the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Disney comics: Daniel Düsentrieb, in english called: Gyro Gearloose




So, I will see, what the next urban collection will bring and how many I can get rid of then.

regards

cadric