Redwood, Audi launch consumer battery recycling program

Redwood Materials, a Carson City, Nevada-based battery recycler, has teamed up with Audi to introduce a the latest in its consumer recycling program.

The companies already have partnered to recycled end-of-life batteries from Audi electric vehicles (EVs), and now Redwood wants to further collection of lithium-ion batteries by deploying bins in select Audi dealerships across the United States for consumers to recycle batteries and battery-powered devices.

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“With global demand for lithium-ion batteries expected to grow by more than 500 percent in the next decade, every effort to increase materials available for battery production is paramount,” Redwood says in a statement. “It’s a win-win to drive these collection efforts to increase supply and sustainability of EVs.”

Batteries and devices collected in the bins will be returned to Redwood with the aim of building increasingly more sustainable, domestic EV batteries.

Redwood and Audi say that because less than 5 percent of lithium-ion battery-containing devices get recycled, typically because of the lack of clear recycling pathways, they see a “tremendous opportunity” to create those pathways, allowing consumers to recycle their batteries and then use them to domestically remanufacture new, sustainable EV batteries.

Because of new policies outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed in August, requirements have been created on domestic sourcing and recycling of critical minerals used in EV batteries, and Redwood says end-of-life consumer batteries can help build robust, domestic supply chains and cleaner EVs, supporting the goals of the legislation.

The companies say this is the first time an automaker has partnered with Redwood to support the collection of household lithium-ion batteries alongside larger EV battery recycling efforts.

“Redwood is grateful to launch this unique partnership with Audi which brings us closer to closing the loop on lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and consumer devices,” Redwood says. “Together, we can decrease our reliance on mining, increase domestic manufacturing, lower the costs of EVs and increase the sustainability of all products.”