Lithium-ion batteries are a commonplace occurrence today, powering all our devices from mobiles phones to electric cars. The more we use them, the more important it becomes to address the growing issue of their responsible disposal.  

These batteries contain valuable metals like lithium, cobalt and nickel as well as harmful substances like Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals’, which can linger in the environment for decades, posing a threat to both wildlife and humans. These chemicals are especially dangerous when they enter the environment or are released during the recycling process.  

Australia currently produces over 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste each year, and only 10 per cent of it is recycled. The remainder ends up in landfills, where it can contaminate soil and water through leachate.  

The issue with PFAS is that they are highly stable and difficult to destroy, which makes them a big problem for battery recycling. Traditional recycling methods, like high-temperature incineration, often aren’t hot enough to fully break down these chemicals.   

Now, scientists at CSIRO have developed an innovative model to guide recyclers on how to deal with the issue. In collaboration with experts from Colorado State University, they have discovered the precise temperature needed to destroy PFAS chemicals during recycling.  

Using cutting-edge quantum mechanics simulations, the team found that temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius are required to safely break down PFAS in lithium-ion batteries. This research is helping guide recycling plants to upgrade their processes, ensuring that harmful PFAS chemicals are destroyed, not just reduced to more toxic fragments. 

While this discovery is a huge step forward, it does come with obstacles. Higher temperatures mean more energy is required, which could increase the cost of recycling. However, researchers say it is still far cheaper and safer than sending batteries to landfills, where they can cause long-term environmental harm. 

This new approach is part of a broader effort to improve battery recycling and create a circular economy, where batteries are reused and their materials recovered. As the demand for lithium-ion batteries grows, so does the importance of finding safer, more sustainable ways to handle battery waste. 

Visit Recycling Near You for more information on recycling batteries safely.  

Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.