Overview

• The 2025 ECU review published in the Journal of Environmental Management shows end-of-life lithium-ion batteries retain nearly 80% of their original lithium capacity.
• Recycling processes can cut carbon emissions by as much as 61% while reducing energy and water use by up to 83% and 79% compared with conventional lithium mining.
• Hydrometallurgical recycling emerges as a profitable route, yielding up to $27.70 per kilogram of lithium recovered at near-99% purity.
• Global lithium-ion market forecasts project a 13% annual growth rate to $87.5 billion by 2027, with Australia expected to generate 137,000 tonnes of battery waste annually by 2035.
• Researchers urge swift policy reforms and major investments in collection and processing infrastructure to overcome evolving battery chemistries and realize a circular battery economy.