Authors : Mayank Mehta

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/56xj6ud5

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4374d3hw

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25aug374

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Note : Google Scholar may take 30 to 40 days to display the article.

Abstract : India's burgeoning electric vehicle (EV), solar power, and energy storage sectors are accelerating demand for lithium- ion batteries (LIBs), with cumulative critical mineral requirements projected to exceed 250 kilotons between 2024 and 2030. However, formal recycling remains limited—under 5%—while nearly 90% of end-of-life batteries are processed informally through hazardous methods. This review examines India’s current battery waste management ecosystem, identifying enforcement lapses in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), infrastructural voids, and the marginalization of informal actors. It benchmarks India’s challenges against regulatory and industrial models in China, the European Union, and the United States, assessing reverse logistics, policy mandates, and system scalability. Drawing from secondary research and firsthand insights from a battery manufacturing internship, the study outlines the economic opportunity of a $3.5 billion recycling market and the cost advantage of recovered materials—up to 40% savings. It further explores environmental risks and proposes strategic interventions including formal–informal integration, digital tracking mechanisms, and return-based incentives. Advancing LIB recycling is not only critical for sustainability but central to India's resource independence and circular economy aspirations.

Keywords : Lithium-Ion, Battery Recycling, India, NMC, LFP, Circular Economy, EPR, E-Waste.

References :

1. Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Lithium-ion Battery Waste Recycling, New Delhi, India, May 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.ceew.in/sites/default/files/lithium-ion-battery-waste-recycling.pdf.
2. Economic Times Auto, "EV battery outlook: Lithium-ion demand set to jump 48% by 2030, says ICEA report; Import reliance and EoL waste pose key challenges." [Online]. Available: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/industry/ev-battery-outlook-lithium-ion-demand-set-to-jump-48-by-2030-says-icea-report-import-reliance-and-eol-waste-pose-key-challenges/122574289
3. Manufacturing Today India, "Li-ion battery market to attract Rs 75,000 crore investment by 2030: ICRA," Mar. 24, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.manufacturingtodayindia.com/li-ion-battery-attract-75000-crore
4. Clean Mobility Shift, "Understanding the EV Battery Recycling Landscape in India." [Online]. Available: https://cleanmobilityshift.com/ecosystem/understanding-the-ev-battery-recycling-landscape-in-india/
5. NITI Aayog & CEEW, "Responsible Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries in India: A Roadmap," 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.ceew.in/publications/responsible-recycling-lithium-ion-batteries-india
6. Mercom India, "Battery Demand Beyond 1 TWh in 2024: IEA." [Online]. Available: https://www.mercomindia.com/battery-demand-1-twh-2024-iea
7. MDPI, "Environmental and Economic Impact Assessment of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling: A Case Study of Cathode Active Material Production." [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/2313-0105/9/7/375
8. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), "Battery Recycling in India," 2022.
9. International Energy Agency (IEA), "Global EV Outlook 2024: Trends in electric vehicle batteries." [Online]. Available: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024/trends-in-electric-vehicle-batteries
10. EPR Battery CPCB, "Tribal and Remote Area Outreach for EPR Battery Collection." [Online]. Available: https://www.eprbatterycpcb.in/tribal-and-remote-area-outreach-for-epr-battery-collection/
11. EPR Battery CPCB, "Policy Gaps & Future Needed in India's Battery EPR Rules." [Online]. Available: https://www.eprbatterycpcb.in/policy-gaps-future-needed-in-indias-battery-epr-rules/
12. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), "Battery Waste Management Rules," 2022.
13. Attero, "Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling & Disposal Services." [Online]. Available: https://www.attero.in/lithium-ion-battery-management
14. EVreporter, "Attero to invest INR 100 crore to scale rare earth recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes," Jun. 19, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://evreporter.com/attero-to-invest-inr-100-crore-to-scale-rare-earth-recycling-capacity-to-30000-tonnes/
15. BatX Energies, "Lithium Ion Battery Recycling in India." [Online]. Available: https://batxenergies.com/lithium-ion-battery-recycling-india/
16. PolyProtic, "Industries." [Online]. Available: https://www.polyprotic.com/industries
17. ICRIER, "EV-Battery-Recycling." [Online]. Available: https://icrier.org/pdf/EV-Battery-Recycling.pdf
18. Citizens for Recycling First, "Lessons From China: Why Battery Recycling Is Crucial For EV Growth In India." [Online]. Available: https://recyclingfirst.org/lessons-from-china-why-battery-recycling-is-crucial-for-ev-growth-in-india/
19. Rho Motion, "China releases proposed standards for battery recycling (Industry update)," Aug. 20, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://rhomotion.com/news/china-releases-proposed-standards-for-battery-recycling-industry-update/
20. European Commission, "EU Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542)," 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.baclcorp.com.cn/show.asp?para=en_2_49_7314
21. Redwood Materials, "Redwood Materials." [Online]. Available: https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/
22. NITI Aayog & RMI, "India's Electric Mobility Transformation," 2019.
23. The Hindu, "Lithium ion battery recycling could be $3.5bn industry by 2030: report," Jul. 9, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.thehindu.com/incoming/lithium-ion-battery-recycling-could-be-35bn-industry-by-2030-report/article69791825.ece
24. G. Harper et al., "Recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles," Nature, vol. 575, pp. 75-86, 2019.
25. CAS Insights, Innovations in Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling: Current Landscape and Future Outlook, American Chemical Society, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/innovations-in-lithium-ion-battery-recycling
26. Stanford News, Recycling lithium-ion batteries cuts emissions and strengthens supply chain, Stanford University, Jan. 31, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/01/recycling-lithium-ion-batteries-cuts-emissions-and-strengthens-supply-chain
27. Huntkey Energy Storage, “New Battery Technology to Replace Lithium,” 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.huntkeyenergystorage.com/new-battery-technology-to-replace-lithium/
28. R&D World, “Finding sustainable alternatives to lithium-ion batteries,” 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.rdworldonline.com/finding-sustainable-alternatives-to-lithium-ion-batteries/
29. Harper, G., Sommerville, R., Kendrick, E., Driscoll, L., Slater, P., Stolkin, R., ... & Anderson, P. (2019). Recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles. Nature, 575(7781), 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1682-5
30. Gaines, L., & Dunn, J. (2020). Lithium-ion battery recycling processes: Research towards a sustainable supply chain. Joule, 4(8), 1694–1706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.06.006
31. Xu, J., Thomas, H. R., Francis, R. W., Lum, K. R., Wang, J., & Liang, B. (2008). A review of processes and technologies for the recycling of lithium-ion secondary batteries. Journal of Power Sources, 177(2), 512–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.11.074