Martial Arts: "Electric Vehicle Used Battery Recycling Industry Must Be Fostered"

Helping Secure Stable Supply Chains for Recycling, Environmental Protection, and Battery Raw Materials

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] As South Korea marks 10 years since mass production of electric vehicles, advice has emerged urging the active promotion of the recycling industry for used batteries, which will flood the market in large quantities within a few years.

According to the "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Industry Trends and Implications" report released on the 1st by the Korea International Trade Association's International Trade and Commerce Research Institute, as countries worldwide accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles to respond to the climate change crisis, the collection and disposal of used EV batteries are emerging as new challenges.

Electric vehicle batteries contain various heavy metals and electrolytes, and landfill disposal of used batteries causes severe soil pollution. Additionally, mining raw materials such as lithium and cobalt, which are essential for batteries, requires large amounts of water and generates significant carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, these raw materials are concentrated in certain countries or regions, and mining quantities are limited, making prices highly unstable.

Thus, electric vehicle batteries present many environmental and economic challenges from manufacturing to disposal. In response, countries such as the United States, the European Union (EU), Japan, and China have early on promoted the EV battery recycling industry as an alternative to environmental protection, reducing mining and refining costs, and securing a stable battery supply chain.

Among them, China, the world's number one in electric vehicle sales and battery production, is implementing strong government-led recycling policies.

China enforces a producer responsibility system where producers are responsible for recycling, as well as battery traceability management. Pilot projects for used battery recycling are underway in 17 regions, including Beijing and Shanghai. To increase the recovery rate of key materials in used batteries, China has set targets of 98% for nickel, cobalt, and manganese, 85% for lithium, and 97% for other rare metals, encouraging achievement of these goals. To promote recycling, national standards for each stage?battery specifications, packaging, transportation, collection, and dismantling?have been established and utilized, alongside vigorous development of recycling technologies and fostering related companies.

Compared to major countries, South Korea's battery recycling industry still lags behind. The report states, "Recycling batteries can reduce dependence on battery raw material holding countries such as China," adding, "Especially for the ternary batteries?nickel, cobalt, manganese?that South Korea focuses on, the manufacturing cost is high, so the economic benefits from recycling are significant." It further advises that to foster the related industry, it is necessary to establish standards for used batteries, manage battery traceability, build collection infrastructure and provide tax support, create battery alliances considering supply chains, and set national standards for each recycling stage.

Kim Hee-young, a research fellow at the Korea International Trade Association, said, "South Korea's battery recycling industry is in its early stages, with the market being formed mainly by the government and large corporations," adding, "It is time for government support and institutional backing to nurture the electric vehicle battery recycling industry, secure related markets, and contribute to the future establishment of a global circular economy system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.