China is actively pursuing the development of its circular economy. This is nothing new, and those of you who follow our website regularly will already have read about its Lithium battery recycling methods.

After several years of discussion and experimentation, China is now formalizing its recycling protocols. Their methodologies differ markedly from those currently in force in France and Europe.

We’re going to break down and compare battery processing methods in France and China.

In France, recycling is managed by approved organizations, and this is where the process shows its limits.

The lack of qualified experts in the field makes it difficult to choose the most appropriate recycling route, often leading to the simplest solution: systematic incineration to recover metals (pyrometallurgy).

Yet there is enormous potential in training professionals to handle and diagnose batteries. Not only does diagnosis enable the battery to be recycled, it also enables it to be repaired or reconditioned – a much more intelligent and economical approach.

At present, the French approach is largely confined to subcontracting and resale, without any real in-depth reuse or reconditioning.

China, which has made its commitment to intelligent recycling official, has put in place strategies that we can only endorse.

For example, the government has developed franchises entirely dedicated to repairing electric car batteries. This strategy is aimed at direct re-use, doubling efficiency without having to go through the costly and energy-intensive process of recycling.

What’s more, second-life channels have been set up for the use of these batteries in other applications, such as street lighting (a subject we’ve already touched on) or other stationary equipment.

These developments represent a major opportunity. You may be interested in integrating this reconditioning process and turning it into a new activity within your existing structure or as part of a new project.