The Situation of Lithium-ion Batteries Recycling and Its Challenge,
Lithium Ion Batteries,

▍What is CE Certification?

The CE mark is a “passport” for products to enter the EU market and the EU Free Trade Association countries market. Any stipulated products (involved in the new method directive), whether manufactured outside the EU or in EU member states, in order to circulate freely in the EU market, they must be in compliance with the requirements of the directive and relevant harmonized standards before being placed on the EU market , and affix the CE mark. This is a mandatory requirement of EU law on related products, which provides a unified minimum technical standard for the trade of products of various countries in the European market and simplifies trade procedures.

▍What is CE directive?

The directive is a legislative document established by the European Community Council and the European Commission under authorization of the European Community Treaty. The applicable directives for batteries are:

2006/66 / EC & 2013/56 / EU: Battery Directive. Batteries that comply with this directive must have a trash can mark;

2014/30 / EU: Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC Directive). Batteries that comply with this directive must have the CE mark;

2011/65 / EU: ROHS directive. Batteries that comply with this directive must have the CE mark;

Tips: Only when a product complies with all CE directives (the CE mark needs to be pasted), can the CE mark be pasted when all the requirements of the directive are met.

▍The Necessity of Applying for CE Certification

Any product from different countries that wants to enter the EU and the European Free Trade Zone must apply for CE-certified and CE marked on the product. Therefore, CE certification is a passport for products entering EU and the European Free Trade Zone.

▍Benefits of Applying for CE certification

1. EU laws, regulations, and coordinate standards are not only large in quantity, but also complex in content. Therefore, obtaining the CE certification is a very smart choice to save time and effort as well as to reduce the risk;

2. A CE certificate can help earning the trust of consumers and market supervision institution to a maximum extent;

3. It can effectively prevent the irresponsible allegations situation;

4. In the face of litigation, the CE certification will become legally valid technical evidence;

5. Once punished by EU countries, the certification body will jointly bear the risks with the enterprise, thus reducing the risk of the enterprise.

▍Why MCM?

● MCM has a technical team with up to more than 20 professionals engaged in the field of battery CE certification, which provide clients with faster and more accurate and latest CE certification information;

● MCM provides various CE solutions including LVD, EMC, battery directives, etc. for clients;

● MCM has provided more than 4000 battery CE tests worldwide till today.

The shortage of materials caused by rapid increase of EV and ESS
Inappropriate disposing of batteries may release heavy metal and poisonous gas pollution.
The density of lithium and cobalt in batteries is much higher than that in minerals, which means batteries are worth recycling. Recycling anode materials will save more than 20% of battery cost.In America, the federal, state or regional governments own the right of disposing and recycling lithium-ion batteries. There are two federal laws related to lithium-ion batteries recycling. The first one is Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act. It requires companies or shops selling lead-acid batteries or nickel–metal hydride batteries should accept waste batteries and recycle them. The method of recycling lead-acid batteries will be seen as the template for the future action on recycling lithium-ion batteries. The second law is Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). It builds up the framework of how to dispose non-dangerous or dangerous solid waste. The future of Lithium-ion batteries recycling method may under the management of this law.EU has drafted a new proposal (Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL concerning batteries and waste batteries, repealing Directive 2006/66/EC and amending Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020). This proposal mentions poisonous materials, including all kinds of batteries, and the requirement on limitations, reports, labels, the highest level of carbon footprint, the lowest level of cobalt, lead, and nickel recycling, performance, durability, detachability, replaceability, safety, health status, durability and supply chain due diligence, etc. According to this law, manufacturers must provide information of batteries durability and performance stats, and information of batteries materials source. The supply-chain due diligence is to let end users know what raw materials are contained, where do they come from, and their influences on the environment. This is to monitor the reuse and recycle of batteries. However, publishing the design and material sources supply chain may be a disadvantage for European batteries manufacturers, therefore the rules are not officially issued now.The U.K. does not publish any rules on lithium-ion batteries recycling. The government used to suggest levy a tax on recycling or renting, or pay for allowance for the cause. Yet none official policy comes out.