China has published a list of interim measures towards establishing a regulatory framework for the recycling of batteries from the country’s fast-developing new energy vehicle (NEV) market.
Requirements jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and six other government departments, which come into force on 1 August 2018, aim to enforce the prompt recycling of lithium-ion and nickel–metal hybrid batteries.
The move, which BBB reported was in the pipeline last month, comes after China’s State Council said in 2016 that NEV producers should be responsible for creating a recycling network for used batteries.
Under the interim measures, NEV manufacturers will be mainly responsible for automotive batteries recycling under the new measures— and battery producers will have to share battery disassembly and storage technology with carmakers.
A traceability system will be expected to jointly set up by battery and car manufacturers— including details of automotive battery coding, battery source tracing and NEV owners.
In addition, the new measures stipulate that scientific research projects will be carried out by the state to support the development of battery recycling technology.
Chinese companies are already responding to repeated calls by authorities for industry to establish procedures for dealing with used NEV batteries.
Last January, Chinese telecoms company China Tower committed to give a new lease of life to used batteries from Shenzhen-based LiFePO4 battery maker OptimumNano under a deal between the companies.
