477
/ 2
Min Read
India battery recycling industry has set its sights on achieving ‘zero waste,’ aiming for a future where no residue is left behind. However, experts believe this goal is far from practical for now. According to Shubham Vishvakarma, Founder of Bengaluru-based Metastable Materials, completely eliminating waste is nearly impossible. Instead, he suggests that the real focus should be on recovering as much valuable metal as possible from used batteries.
Vishvakarma explains that every recycling process inevitably leaves behind some residue, such as dust or used solvents. “‘Zero waste’ should mean ensuring that whatever remains is non-hazardous and can be reused safely,” he adds.
Metastable advanced Carbothermal Reduction Technology enables recovery of up to 95% of copper and lithium, and over 90% of nickel and cobalt from spent batteries. However, refining these recovered materials back into battery-grade cathode components still leads to some losses.
India’s recycling ecosystem faces several challenges. A large number of used batteries flow through informal collection channels or are exported as scrap, bypassing authorized recyclers. The industry is also capital- and volume-intensive, making it sensitive to fluctuations in raw material supply and global commodity prices.
The government introduced the Battery Waste Management Rules in 2022, requiring companies to recycle and trace their products under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Yet, experts argue that more refinement is needed, as the current regulations set uniform recovery targets for different battery chemistries with varying metal compositions.
To strengthen the ecosystem, the government has launched a ₹1,500 crore recycling incentive scheme. Industry leaders believe that mandating a fixed percentage of recycled metals in new batteries could help stabilize the sector and encourage investment in large-scale recycling facilities.
Metastable Materials emphasizes that ‘zero waste’ doesn’t mean the complete absence of waste, but rather maximum material recovery and safe management of residues.
If India succeeds in building both recycling and refining capacity, it could emerge as a regional hub for battery recycling—just as it once transformed itself from a crude oil importer to a major oil refining and export center.
