In November 2023, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) held the ISRI Circularity & Electrification Action Summit to start the process of building a roadmap for a circular electrified economy and explore approaches to better contend with the ever-growing use of lithium-ion batteries in everyday life—from personal electronics to electric vehicles (EVs). The summit brought together thought leaders in the recycling, automotive, policy, and battery manufacturing sectors to develop a holistic approach to building a cleaner and more circular economy. To equip participants with critical background information ahead of the summit, ISRI commissioned Atlas Public Policy to produce a series of fact sheets covering the major relevant sectors necessary for developing a roadmap. The fact sheets address states of play for the recycling sector, automakers, policymakers, and battery manufacturers; they also identified emerging trends in circularity for each sector.
Fact Sheet: Recycling Sector – This fact sheet describes the current landscape of the recycling sector’s efforts in lithium-ion battery recycling, challenges the sector faces related to lithium-ion batteries, strategies recyclers are employing to address these concerns, and analysis about the sector’s future role in the evolving lithium-ion battery market.
Fact Sheet: Automakers – This fact sheet provides background on automakers’ efforts to transition toward an EV future, the lifecycle of EV batteries, how automakers are positioning themselves to secure needed materials to develop lithium-ion batteries for EVs—to include reuse and recycling, and burgeoning battery chemistries that could impact circularity.
Fact Sheet: Policymakers – This fact sheet details the various state policy efforts across the United States to address battery safety and recycling challenges, the role of the federal government in developing a nationwide strategy, public perception about lithium-ion batteries, and the information that policymakers both need and lack in order to develop holistic solutions.
Fact Sheet: Battery Manufacturers – This fact sheet covers how lithium-ion battery makers plan to partner more closely with the recycling sector to keep up with rising demand, what strategies manufacturers have employed to educate consumers about battery safety and recycling, and efforts by battery manufacturing associations to support the federal government in developing best practices for recycling.
