Anyone in Germany who wants to dispose of used ebike batteries can rely on a well-established infrastructure. Until recently, however, there was nothing comparable in the USA. Only in 2022 a nationwide programme dedicated to the task was launched there. According to the initiators, this is now picking up speed.
Under the title “Hungry for Batteries”, around 50 bicycle and drive manufacturers active in the USA have joined forces to collect old batteries. The participants include well-known names such as Benno Bikes, Bosch, Breezer, Cannondale, Cube, Electra, Fazua, Giant, iZip, Kona, Liv, Marin, Momentum, Norco, Pivot Cycles, Riese&Müller, Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz, Shimano, Specialized, Stromer, Surly, Tern, Trek, Urban Arrow, Yamaha, Yeti and Yuba.
Cyclists’ lobby cooperates with sustainability experts
However, it is not so much the manufacturers who are leading the programme. “Hungry for Batteries” was launched by the US bicycle association Peopleforbikes together with the non-profit organisation Call2Recycle. They form the framework for a sustainability task force and an ebike committee working on the programme. Above all, however, they were key in designing and implementing the actual programme for recycling ebike batteries. This means that cyclists in the USA now have the option of not having to send their discarded batteries to a landfill but can safely return the devices and put them to a new use in a regulated manner.
In terms of its public image, the initiative differs significantly from its German counterpart. This is already evident in the name. Whilst the local network operates under the rather matter-of-fact name GRS eMobility, the title “Hungry for Batteries” is clearly intended to stick in people’s long-term memory. It also features two protagonists, Rey and the blue fur monster Watts, who playfully embed the rather sober process of recycling in a little narrative. Together, they set themselves the mission of putting an end to the careless discarding of batteries. For us, this may immediately evoke the Hollywood cliché. However, it is quite possible that it fits very well into the cultural context in the USA and is also accepted by people because of its nature.
Great demand expected
In any case, Rey and Watts have their work cut out for them. According to their own information, PeopleForBikes and Call2Recycle expect more than twelve million ebikes to be sold in the USA between 2020 and 2030. Experience shows that a proportion of these are likely to be sold with two batteries. With an average service life of four to five years, this means that an enormous number of batteries will be discarded by people. “Hungry for Batteries” wants to manage this as sustainably as possible.
According to the US magazine “Bicycling”, around 1,900 return points have now been created with the help of the programme. In contrast to the regulations at GRS eMobility, however, people are not allowed to return just any ebike battery there. This is only permitted for devices from brands that participate in the recycling programme. In addition, the battery must come from an ebike that can be assigned to one of the ebike classes 1, 2 or 3 applicable in the USA.
This excludes, for example, batteries from a motor-assisted bike that is assisted beyond a speed of 28 miles per hour or that does not require pedalling.
Specialist retailers as an interface
The process for returning batteries is similar to that in Germany. On the “Hungry for Batteries” website, interested parties can find the nearest return centre online. The relevant shop accepts the battery. At the same time, they check whether the battery is really no longer suitable for use on the ebike and whether it has any recognisable damage. If the battery meets the specifications, it is stored in a recycling kit, which is not described in detail. As the programme’s exclusive logistics partner, UPS then collects the battery within 24 to 48 hours. “Hungry for Batteries” covers the delivery costs incurred. A recycling company certified by Call2Recyle dismantles the battery, separates its components and makes the recovered materials available for the manufacture of new products. Call2Recyle’s annual report for 2022 shows that ebike batteries with a total mass of just under 11.8 tonnes were collected and recycled in this way that year. In Germany, around 160 tonnes were collected in the same period. However, “Hungry for Batteries” expects the figures to rise sharply in 2023.
Background: This is how the infrastructure in Germany looks like
In Germany, ebike batteries are categorised as industrial batteries under the Battery Act. If you want to dispose of an old battery and even a complete ebike, you must dispose of it separately and therefore remove it beforehand, depending on the situation. Under no circumstances should it end up in one of the waste bins in your home or be disposed of with bulk waste or scrap metal.
Disposal possible (almost) everywhere
Instead, you can return the used battery to a bike shop that has ebikes in its range. Discounters, electronics and DIY stores are also covered by this regulation. They are obliged to accept your battery free of charge. If their retail space covers more than 400 square metres, this even applies to batteries that the company does not normally sell – regardless of their design, age or brand. From the beginning of December 2021, the take-back obligation would even be extended to portable batteries. These are smaller batteries, such as those found in bicycle lamps. Another option for handing them in is at municipal recycling centres.
To ensure that this runs smoothly in Germany, a battery return system was set up in 2010 with the help of the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV). Initially it was simply called GRS. The correct name is now GRS eMobility. The system lists all of the approximately 2,700 take-back centres. The association of over 160 manufacturers and importers under GRS eMobility ensures, for example, that valuable materials are properly returned to the raw material cycle. Raw materials used in batteries such as aluminium, copper, cobalt or nickel can thus be recovered to the greatest possible extent and reprocessed for later applications. According to GRS eMobility, a total of 160 tonnes of industrial batteries and 80.1 tonnes of portable batteries were taken back in 2022.
Pictures: Peopleforbikes / Call2Recyle; Gemeinsames Rücknahmesystem Servicegesellschaft mbH