While vehicles provide economic and societal benefits, they come with a sizeable carbon footprint. The European Green Deal is a chance for car manufacturers to make their processes more circular, write Maya Ben Dror and Tilmann Vahle.
Share this article
Share this article
BOSTON, Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ The European Commission (EC) has proposed stricter regulations regarding the sustainability of batteries. The previous Battery Directive dated back to 2006, when safe recycling and disposal of Pb-acid and Ni-Cd batteries were the primary concern and the Li-ion market was still in its infancy. The regulations are intended to improve the sustainability of batteries, including Li-ion, by reducing carbon footprint, use of hazardous materials, and increasing the use of responsibly sourced material.
The announcement comes after a 2-3 year period of increased investment into the development of a European Li-ion battery industry, stemming from governments, automotive OEMs, established Asian battery manufacturers, and also European start-ups, such as Northvolt, Freyr, and Britishvolt. Starting from scratch, these European battery manufacturers must compete with established giants with decades of battery R&D and man
Published: 11 Dec 2020, 10:03
By:
Lithium-ion battery cells of different types. Image: PI Berlin.
Proposed updates to EU legislation on batteries that aim to address some of the issues associated with Europe’s supply chain have been welcomed by trade industry association RECHARGE, albeit with the suggestion that they may be too complex in their current form.
The European Commission has proposed that mandatory requirements be put in place covering the use of responsibly sourced materials and required minimum levels of recycled materials, performance and durability, labelling and carbon footprint and that collection and recycling targets be set and adhered to.
The new rules state that batteries placed on the EU market should be “sustainable, high-performing and safe all along their entire life cycle,” including the use of materials obtained without violation of human rights and produced with minimal environmental impact.