Charged Electric Vehicle magazine reported on a development that will help EV battery recycling.

The recycling advancement "marks a key milestone in scaling our recycling and refining partnership with ReElement Technologies," Mark Jensen, chairman and CEO of American Resources, said.

Indiana-based Electrified Materials, a subsidiary of American Resources, was granted a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit that allows the company to preprocess and recycle products that contain copper, aluminum, and primarily iron metals as well as minerals and rare earth elements. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued the permit.

Electrified Materials recycles lithium-ion batteries from EV motors, among other sources.

EV batteries have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. 

EVs, in general, are better for the environment than their gas-powered counterparts because they do not produce tailpipe emissions, which helps reduce air pollution and planet-warming gases. They are a cleaner-energy transportation option, especially if they are charged using renewable energy sources such as solar panels.

The production and disposal of EV batteries, however, have some negative effects on the environment, although the process is improving. The mining of materials can harm the environment, and if the batteries are not properly recycled, they can release toxic materials into the environment, contaminating the soil and water.

Recycling methods that prevent the release of these materials and conserve and reuse them, instead, are ideal.

Electrified Materials will recycle the battery materials and produce mineral concentrates. ReElement Technologies will then refine the concentrates into magnet and battery-grade materials for reuse. 

Jensen said that "this permit, combined with the $900,000+ grant from the State of Indiana and our strategic alignment with ReElement, will accelerate our expansion and strengthen our domestic footprint."

This process will advance EV battery recycling methods to reduce the amount of hazardous materials that end up in landfills, making EVs even more environmentally friendly.

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