Environmental Impact Assessment and End-of-Life Treatment Policy Analysis for Li-Ion Batteries and Ni-MH Batteries

Abstract

Based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Eco-indicator 99 method, a LCA model was applied to conduct environmental impact and end-of-life treatment policy analysis for secondary batteries. This model evaluated the cycle, recycle and waste treatment stages of secondary batteries. Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries were chosen as the typical secondary batteries in this study. Through this research, the following results were found: (1) A basic number of cycles should be defined. A minimum cycle number of 200 would result in an obvious decline of environmental loads for both battery types. Batteries with high energy density and long life expectancy have small environmental loads. Products and technology that help increase energy density and life expectancy should be encouraged. (2) Secondary batteries should be sorted out from municipal garbage. Meanwhile, different types of discarded batteries should be treated separately under policies and regulations. (3) The incineration rate has obvious impact on the Eco-indicator points of Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. The influence of recycle rate on Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries is more obvious. These findings indicate that recycling is the most promising direction for reducing secondary batteries’ environmental loads. The model proposed here can be used to evaluate environmental loads of other secondary batteries and it can be useful for proposing policies and countermeasures to reduce the environmental impact of secondary batteries.

Environmental life cycle assessments of emerging anode materials for Li‐ion batteries‐metal oxide NPs

“…The error bars indicate the intervals (with 2.5-97.5% probability) which include all the potential results achieved under the uncertainty analysis. This result is in agreement with Yu et al' study [13], in which a close dependence between recycle rate and life cycle environmental impacts of a Li-ion battery was reported. In a study by Zackrisson et al [9], a low amount of environmental impacts was reported for the end-of-life treatment phase and they considered transport to recycling as the main factor in this phase which is responsible for the lowest global warming impacts through the whole battery life cycle.…”

“…This result is in agreement with Yu et al .' study , in which a close dependence between recycle rate and life cycle environmental impacts of a Li‐ion battery was reported. In a study by Zackrisson et al .…”

“…Yu et al . also reported that life cycle environmental impacts of two studied batteries (Li‐ion battery with a new cathode and nickel–metal hydride battery with a new anode) decrease by increasing the cycle number up to 200 and also by increasing the recycle rate. Sullivan et al .…”

“…They reported that lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, and nickel-metal hydride batteries have higher impacts than that of lithium-ion and sodium-nickel chloride batteries. Yu et al [13] also reported that life cycle environmental impacts of two studied batteries (Li-ion battery with a new cathode and nickel-metal hydride battery with a new anode) decrease by increasing the cycle number up to 200 and also by increasing the recycle rate. Sullivan et al [14] in a study on available life cycle inventory data for cradle-to-gate environmental V C 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers impacts of several kinds of battery (lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, sodium-sulfur, and lithium-ion batteries) by life cycle inventory data of battery material production and component fabrication and assembly reported that material production life-cycle stage contributes about two-thirds for lead-acid and sodium-sulfur, and a half for nickel-metal hydride, lithium-ion, and nickel-cadmium batteries.…”

Recovery of Metals from Waste Lithium Ion Battery Leachates Using Biogenic Hydrogen Sulfide

“…Crude recycling and disposal practices of electronic waste (e-waste; such as LIBs) often result in the production of toxic substances (e.g., dioxins) and the leaching of toxic heavy metals into the environment [3][4][5]. Currently, there are only a few commercial operations capable of recovering metals from LIB waste, largely located in Asia and Europe [6].…”