Lithium-ion batteries are recyclable — and it matters doubly, for the environment and because the materials inside (lithium, cobalt, nickel) are exactly what the next generation of batteries needs. Redwood Materials leads the US effort, recovering up to 95% of critical metals from used batteries, with innovations like solar-powered processing making the loop cleaner still.
We're earlier on the curve than panels — home battery recycling infrastructure is still developing, and the EPA is working on streamlined rules. But the timeline works in our favor: batteries installed today have 10-15 years before end-of-life, which is exactly the runway the recycling industry needs to scale. Improper disposal risks fires and wastes irreplaceable materials, so when your battery's day comes, it goes to a recycler. Period.