States Urged to Pass Laws, Boost Incentives to Spur Local Lithium Battery Recycling

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—A rapidly electrifying planet is driving voracious demand for critical minerals, straining supply chains China dominates because it processes and exports 90 percent of some key materials needed for lithium-ion batteries. There are numerous strategies to domestically source these key materials, including more mining, increased tariffs on Chinese batteries, and incentivizing refining. But part of the solution may already be at hand, literally, in the 21 connected digital devices in the average American home—everything from iPhones, laptops, and smart TVs to thermostats and electric toothbrushes. “E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste steam. The good news is, lithium-ion batteries are infinitely recyclable,” Redwood Materials vice president for government relations and strategic partnerships Alexis Georgeson told state lawmakers, legislative aides, and lobbyists on Aug. 5 during the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) 50th Annual Legislative Summit at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville....