Home Battery Recycling: What Happens After the Lifespan?

The end of the lifespan: a growing issue

The first generation of home batteries that were installed on a large scale around 2015-2018 is approaching the end of its lifespan. At the same time, the number of new installations is growing explosively. The demand for sustainable recycling of lithium-ion batteries — including LiFePO4 (LFP) home batteries — is becoming increasingly urgent.

The good news: home batteries are highly recyclable, and the industry is investing heavily in better recycling technologies. Moreover, a decommissioned home battery is rarely truly 'spent': with 70-80% remaining capacity, a meaningful second life is often possible.

What materials are in a home battery?

To understand why recycling is so important, you need to know what is inside an LFP battery cell. The main components are:

• Lithium iron phosphate (LFP): cathode material — the most stable and less scarce cathode choice
• Graphite: anode material — mostly mined in China, mining has environmental impact
• Copper: current collectors and wiring — high recyclability
• Aluminium: housing and current collectors — valuable and highly recyclable
• Electrolyte (lithium salt in organic solvent): the most challenging component for recycling — requires specialised processing

Recycling processes: how are batteries processed?

There are three main processes for battery recycling, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:

Pyrometallurgy (smelting)

In pyrometallurgy, batteries are melted at high temperatures. This is a robust process that is widely applied, but it is energy-intensive and does not efficiently recover all materials. For LFP batteries, pyrometallurgy is less optimal than for NMC batteries due to the lower cobalt and nickel concentrations.

Hydrometallurgy (wet chemical processing)

Hydrometallurgy dissolves the battery materials in acid and then separates the valuable metals. This process achieves higher material recovery than smelting and is the most suitable for LFP batteries. Companies such as Umicore, Fortum and the European BASF are investing heavily in hydrometallurgical recycling of home batteries.

Second life: an intermediate step before recycling

Many home batteries are not recycled immediately at the end of their primary lifespan. With 70-80% remaining capacity, they are perfectly suited for applications with less demanding requirements:

• Stationary energy storage at industrial level: decommissioned EV batteries and home batteries are combined into large energy storage parks
• Backup power systems for telecom towers: lower capacity is sufficient for backup applications
• Community storage: batteries are grouped for neighbourhood storage or homeowners' association projects
• Off-grid applications: caravans, boats and small off-grid dwellings are less critical about capacity

Manufacturer responsibility: the Battery Regulation

The European Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542) imposes strict obligations on manufacturers of industrial batteries and EV batteries. Home batteries partially fall under these rules. Key obligations:

Manufacturers must provide a battery passport with material information. Minimum recycling percentages apply (by 2027: 65% for lithium batteries, by 2031: 70%). Manufacturers are responsible for collection through producer responsibility (WEEE Directive). In practice, this means: anyone who buys a home battery from a reputable manufacturer (Anker, Dyness, BYD, Huawei) can expect a collection and recycling system to be available.

How do you correctly dispose of your home battery?

In the Netherlands, home batteries are classified as hazardous waste and must not be disposed of with general waste. The correct disposal routes are:

1. Return to manufacturer or dealer: most manufacturers have a take-back programme. At HES, we collect old batteries upon delivery of a new system. 2. Municipal waste collection point (recycling centre): large batteries are accepted as small hazardous waste. 3. Specialist battery processor: for larger systems (>10 kWh), a specialised company handles the collection.