title: Economic and environmental characterization of an evolving Li-ion battery waste stream.
abstract: While disposal bans of lithium-ion batteries are gaining in popularity, the infrastructure required to recycle these batteries has not yet fully emerged and the economic motivation for this type of recycling system has not yet been quantified comprehensively. This study combines economic modeling and fundamental material characterization methods to quantify economic trade-offs for lithium ion batteries at their end-of-life. Results show that as chemistries transition from lithium-cobalt based cathodes to less costly chemistries, battery recovery value decreases along with the initial value of the raw materials used. For example, manganese-spinel and iron phosphate cathode batteries have potential material values 73% and 79% less than cobalt cathode batteries, respectively. A majority of the potentially recoverable value resides in the base metals contained in the cathode; this increases disassembly cost and time as this is the last portion of the battery taken apart. A great deal of compositional variability exists, even within the same cathode chemistry, due to differences between manufacturers with coefficient of variation up to 37% for some base metals. Cathode changes over time will result in a heavily co-mingled waste stream, further complicating waste management and recycling processes. These results aim to inform disposal, collection, and take-back policies being proposed currently that affect waste management infrastructure as well as guide future deployment of novel recycling techniques.
authors: Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS), Rochester Institute of Technology, 81-2175 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
authors: Xue
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS), Rochester Institute of Technology, 81-2175 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA. Electronic address: gabrielle.gaustad@rit.edu.
authors: Gabrielle
authors: G
authors: Gaustad
authors: Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS), Rochester Institute of Technology, 81-2175 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
authors: Callie W
authors: CW
authors: Babbitt
authors: Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS), Rochester Institute of Technology, 81-2175 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
authors: Chelsea
authors: C
authors: Bailey
authors: Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS), Rochester Institute of Technology, 81-2175 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; NanoPower Research Labs (NPRL), Rochester Institute of Technology, 78-2402 156 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Ganter
authors: NanoPower Research Labs (NPRL), Rochester Institute of Technology, 78-2402 156 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, 160 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
authors: Brian J
authors: BJ
authors: Landi
mesh_terms: D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry; D011211:Electric Power Supplies / Q000191:economics*; D004566:Electrodes / Q000191:economics; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D058735:Environmental Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007477:Ions; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D010710:Phosphates; D003035:Cobalt; D008345:Manganese; D008094:Lithium; D007501:Iron
keywords: Lithium ion batteries; Recycling; Resource recovery; Sustainability; Waste management