Britain’s black-mass problem

Recycling electric-vehicleEVEVEVEUOECD batteries is tricky. But they are full of —lithium, cobalt and other commodities—that are vital to the green transition. At the moment most manufacturers in Britain crush old batteries into a material called “black mass”, which is then exported to other countries—mostly, experts say, to China. There the black mass is dissolved in acid before the most useful materials are separated and processed. batteries can last for 15-20 years; since the is young, the amount of valuable stuff that is currently being exported is small. But as volumes grow, so will the pressure to recycle closer to home. According to Green Alliance, a think-tank, recycling could provide 43% of the minerals required for domestic manufacturers to meet demand for batteries by 2040. Western countries are keen to reduce their dependence on China: the has proposed banning exports of black mass to non- countries.