European regulations imposing recycling of electric batteries comes into force

The objective of this new regulation is to create a circular economy, to ensure that critical metals can be reused. For recyclers, the first consequence is the spectacular increase in volumes of products to be treated: the deposit of batteries to be recycled in France will drop from 30,000 to 600,000 tonnes. “This is called ‘the Big Bang of Battery’confirms Emmanuel Toussaint-Dauvergne, director general of Batribox, one of the eco-organizations responsible for organizing the recycling sector. We will have to manage the whole deposit of the batteries, whatever their size and technology, from the battery battery to bus battery. “

Because one of the new features is that manufacturers of car, scooters or electric bikes will also have to finance recycling. This regulation “Puts everyone on an equal footing : whatever the nature of the battery you produce or put on the market, you must get involved to ensure the end of life “underlines Emmanuel Toussaint-Dauvergne.

The batteries can be crushed and transformed into a black powder, which contains manganese, cobalt and lithium. “These are metals that we do not have in Europe, we must go and get them in mines in South America or Asiaspecifies Yann Gautron, of the Ecosystem eco-organism. So it is an issue of sovereignty, to keep all these products and be able to reuse them without depending on a supplier that can close the valves overnight. “

But for the moment, these critical metals are mainly returned to China to be treated. Europe is lagging behind for the manufacture of batteries.