Recycling Facility for Li-ion Batteries and E-Waste in Uttarakhand

• 03 Apr 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Technology Development Board (TDB) entered into an agreement with M/s Remine India Private Limited, for setting up a commercial plant for recycling of Li Battery and E-Waste using Indigenous Technology in Sitarganj (District Udham Singh Nagar), Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• Through the agreement, TDB has pledged a financial assistance of ₹ 7.5 crores out of the total project cost of ₹ 15 crores, marking a significant stride towards sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
  • The efficient recycling of Li-ion batteries serves as a vital source of secondary raw materials for cell manufacturing within the country.
  • The escalating imports of e-waste stemming from the disposal of spent Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) are driven by their growing utilization in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and global renewable energy storage systems.
  • The disposal of LIBs through landfilling and incineration poses environmental and safety concerns, highlighting the need for recycling initiatives.
  • The potential for value creation through the retrieval of metals from spent LIBs has spurred interest in recycling e-waste generated by these batteries.
• The lithium-ion battery recycling market size is projected to reach USD 14.89 billion by 2030, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.6%, up from USD 3.79 billion in 2021.
  • Despite this, a significant 95% of Li-ion batteries currently end up in landfills, while only 5% undergo recycling and reuse.
• The dominance of the informal sector in the e-waste scenario has adverse environmental and economic implications.
• Efficient and environmentally friendly recycling methods are imperative to address the escalating issue of battery waste, mitigate migrant supply side risks related to critical elements, and reduce carbon footprints.
• India is 3rd in the world in terms of e-waste generation and significant efforts are required to curb the issue.

Li-ion Batteries

• A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery.
• Li-ion batteries use an intercalated (Intercalation is the reversible inclusion or insertion of a molecule into materials with layered structures) lithium compound as one electrode material, compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium battery.
• The battery consists of electrolyte, which allows for ionic movement, and the two electrodes are the constituent components of a lithium-ion battery cell.
• Lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging.

E-Waste

• It is short for Electronic-Waste and the term is used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded electronic appliances. It includes their components, consumables, parts and spares.
• Laws to manage e-waste have been in place in India since 2011, mandating that only authorised dismantlers and recyclers collect e-waste. E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 was enacted in 2017.
• India’s first e-waste clinic for segregating, processing and disposal of waste from household and commercial units has been set-up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.