The Battery Stewardship Council together with Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Motor Trades Association of Australia, calls on EV industry to act now and shape the future of this major waste stream
Preliminary research findings released today by the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) shows the number of used Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries entering the waste stream will grow exponentially to almost 30,000 tonnes by 2030, and a staggering 1.6 million tonnes by 2050.
As outlined in the recent National Electric Vehicle Strategy, battery stewardship is a crucial element of the drive to increase uptake of EVs in Australia. It is essential that this work starts now, while it is in its infancy, to explore and establish the infrastructure needed to recover precious resources and avoid the major property and public health issue of stockpiling and fires into the future.
BSC CEO Libby Chaplin said, "EV batteries present increasing risks and opportunities which the vehicle industry is yet to deal with at scale. Investment in EV battery stewardship and recycling infrastructure is immediately needed for industry to avoid costly solutions in the future and miss out on the financial opportunities offered by the recycling of used batteries. The EV industry is facing a golden opportunity to take the lead in designing a scheme that is cost effective, fit for purpose, and avoids the mistakes and costly fall-out of inaction as seen recently by the Solar Panel industry by prioritising the discussion of end-of-life processes today."
The BSC has been commissioned by the Federal Government to drive industry consultation around the development of EV battery stewardship and is calling on the EV industry to contribute to a Discussion Paper, delivered in collaboration with the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA).
BSC has an established record on delivering battery stewardship for smaller batteries and is seeking to support the EV industry to create a tailor-made solution for EV batteries that works for the entire supply chain and lives up to its green credentials.
Industry can find the Discussion Paper at the following LINK and all submissions are due by 30 June 2023.
