Forecasts predict a notable escalation in battery waste, necessitating a focus on the recycling of black mass (BM)—a complex and hazardous byproduct of the battery recycling process. Employing systematic analysis, this research investigates the hazardous nature of BM derived from various battery types.
Spent LIBs are considered hazardous wastes (especially those from EVs) due to the potential environmental and human health risks. This study provides an up-to-date overview of the environmental impacts and hazards of spent batteries. It categorises the environmental impacts, sources and pollution pathways of spent LIBs.
However, as we’ve examined, the battery-making process isn’t free of environmental effects. In this light, this calls for sector-wide improvements to achieve environmentally friendly battery production as much as possible. There’s a need to make the processes around battery making and disposal much greener and safer.
The environmental impact of battery emerging contaminants has not yet been thoroughly explored by research. Parallel to the challenging regulatory landscape of battery recycling, the lack of adequate nanomaterial risk assessment has impaired the regulation of their inclusion at a product level.
From the mining of materials like lithium to the conversion process, improper processing and disposal of batteries lead to contamination of the air, soil, and water. Also, the toxic nature of batteries poses a direct threat to aquatic organisms and human health as well.
Battery recycling is a downstream process that deals with end-of-life batteries of different types and health conditions. Many established battery-recycling plants require a standardized presorting process to distinguish spent LIBs, as direct recycling reduces the efficiency of recovering valuable metals.