Setting a Stable Path for Europe's Circular Economy through Battery Waste Reclassification

Striving to establish a stable circular economy, the European Commission has initiated a new categorisation approach for battery waste, to keep crucial materials within the European boundaries for a longer duration.

In abidance with the Basel Convention and the Waste Shipments Regulation, Black mass now falls under the harmful waste category, as per the newly updated List of Waste.

Not just Black mass, the new classifications cover other substances as well, such as nickel-based, lithium-based, zinc-based waste batteries, and alkaline and sodium sulphur waste batteries. The reclassification brought with it a new dangerous code explicitly for lithium-based batteries found in distinctively collected municipal waste.

To effectively manage waste throughout a battery's lifespan, new distinct waste codes have been implemented, applied extensively to:

• Waste derived from battery production
• Waste form used batteries
• Transitional fragments from battery recycling processes

The revisions guarantee an efficient handling and tracking of batteries and Black mass both within and beyond the European borders, thus enhancing identification and traceability of battery waste streams.

In practical terms, this implies that European firms will gain better control over Black mass consignments by limiting exports to non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

It aligns perfectly with the EU Battery Regulation's goals to establish a self-sustaining circular economy in Europe, bolster raw materials and energy security, and enhance EU's self-reliance on batteries.

A vital focus is on Black mass, which is the shredded waste from used batteries containing essential materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, copper, and nickel.

Jessika Roswall, the European Commission’s Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy, commented, "By retaining Black mass longer in the economy, we can spur our circular economy and battery recycling processes."

Looking Ahead

The modification of the List of Waste will take effect 20 days post its publication in the Official Journal of the EU (the European Union's official gazette of record). However, the legislative bodies, i.e., the European Parliament or the EU Council, might object as per Article 290(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

Upon the act's adoption, typically lasting a period of two months, the member states of the EU and appropriate stakeholders will need to apply these new codes which will then feature routinely in permissible procedures and associated documentation.

The reclassification might necessitate waste operators to adapt their management methodologies when handling hazardous waste within the EU and shipping it to OECD nations.

This delegated act draws its essence from the Joint Research Centre (JRC)'s report on 'Technical Recommendations for the Targeted Amendment of the European List of Waste Entries Relevant to Batteries'.