New battery waste codes have been created in order to promote recycling and improve the circular economy

An updated version of the European List of Waste has been released by the European Commission, in order to include new waste codes, which have been specifically designed for battery-related waste. The overall purpose of creating this update is to create an economy which is both more sustainable and circular.

The newly created plan was adopted on the 5^th of March and the overall goal of this new plan is that it hopes to manage the battery waste throughout its lifecycle. This means that the battery waste would be handled from manufacturing to recycling.

It has been made clear that the new regulations will play two key roles within the EU’s green transition goals. One of these roles will be improving the sustainability within the automotive sector and the other will be providing any necessary support to the green goals set out by the EU.

Within the codes a classification system has been created and the classification of waste as hazardous or non-hazardous was determined through the use of scientific research and the consideration of chemical composition of different battery types. Classifying them in this way ensures that the classification rules are based in up-to-date data. There are multiple benefits to using this kind of system, as it helps to protect human health, along with the environment, plus it also provides security to the supply of key raw materials, including things such as lithium and cobalt. These kinds of materials are essential when it comes to things such as producing electric vehicle batteries.

A huge benefit of these new regulations is that they significantly strengthen the EU’s commitment to its strategic autonomy. Right now the Commission is aiming to reduce its dependency on non-EU countries, especially when it comes to critical raw materials and components for batteries. The organisation is aiming to do this through ensuring that battery waste starts to be and continues to be recycled inside the EU. This is hugely important within this upcoming change, especially when the demand for electric vehicles and energy storage systems is continuously rising.

The creation and introduction of this new waste code is incredibly important for the EU’s wider plan which involves transitioning to a circular economy. Further to this, a large goal within this transition is for the circular economy to be one which minimizes waste, whilst simultaneously maximizing the reuse and recycling of raw materials.

One factor which has been made clear is that, batteries are firmly placed at the heart of the EU’s efforts when it comes to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

As batteries are so important, it is clear that creating updated waste codes are incredibly important as they will play a key role in improving the recycling of the key components within society. This role will involve ensuring that lithium, nickel, cobalt and other valuable raw materials remain inside the economy for extended periods.

One part of this classification which was essential to this project, was the update around classifying ‘black mass.’ This is a valuable material that is produced in the process of battery recycling and it is classed as hazardous waste.

This material, black mass, is made up of shredded battery materials and it is becoming clear that black mass is a critical resource within the recycling process. Therefore, deciding to classify black mass as hazardous highlights the way the Commission is currently aiming to make sure that better oversight and control of black mass shipments takes place. This is especially important when it comes to preventing export to non-OCED countries.

Creating specific waste categories is important now more than ever, due to the emergence of new battery chemistries, including lithium-based and nickel-based batteries. Now that this list of new codes has been created, it is soon due to come into effect twenty days after the codes have been published inside the Official Journal of the EU. This publication will occur as long as there are no objections from the European Parliament or from the Council of the EU.

Once this is complete, it is planned that the focus will then shift to beginning the process of implementing new codes across member states, whilst simultaneously ensuring that waste operators are fully prepared to carry out adaptions to their procedures, in order to make them suitable to the stricter requirements. Making adjustment would include conducting tasks such as modifying permit procedures, along with documentation, with the intention of handling hazardous waste. Other adjustments would also include ensuring that all practices comply with the new provisions, especially when this means dealing with waste shipments within the EU and to OECD countries.