With the rapid rise of the NEV industry, power batteries, as its core components, have seen an explosive increase in usage. According to statistics, the current nationwide NEV ownership has exceeded 26.5 million units, and the cumulative installations of power batteries have surpassed 1,340 GWh. However, behind this green revolution, the recycling and disposal of used power batteries have become an urgent environmental protection issue to address.
Used power batteries contain rare and valuable metals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. If these used batteries are not properly handled or are discarded arbitrarily, it will not only result in significant resource waste but also pose severe potential threats to the ecological environment, including soil and water sources. Therefore, establishing a standardized and environmentally friendly recycling system for used power batteries to achieve effective resource recycling is a critical step in practicing the concept of green development and promoting ecological civilization.
In recent years, governments, enterprises, and research institutions have actively explored the field of used power battery recycling. Local governments have introduced a series of policies and measures to encourage the recycling of used power batteries, providing strong legal support and financial assistance for recycling efforts. Meanwhile, various recycling models have emerged across regions, such as establishing used power battery recycling networks and offering door-to-door recycling services, making it convenient for car owners and battery producers to hand over used batteries to professional institutions for processing. Additionally, some regions have explored the "trade-in" recycling model, which has also promoted the recycling of used batteries and the consumption of NEVs.
Nevertheless, the recycling and disposal of used power batteries still face numerous problems and challenges. To further advance the standardized recycling and disposal of used power batteries, breakthroughs are needed in the following areas: research institutions and enterprises should play a leading role in developing efficient and environmentally friendly recycling technologies, striving to minimize environmental impacts during the recycling and disposal process; governments should legislate to clarify the responsibilities and obligations of power battery producers, users, and recycling enterprises, ensuring that recycling and disposal efforts are legally grounded and systematically regulated; in terms of public participation, efforts should be made to raise public awareness and engagement through media campaigns, community activities, and other means to disseminate knowledge about used power battery recycling and disposal.
