The India Battery Recycling and Reuse Summit 2025, held in anticipation of the Bharat Battery Show from January 17-22, discussed the significance of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in battery recycling. V P Yadav, director of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), stated that monetary fines on producers failing to meet recycling commitments will provide the much-needed push to battery recyclers and boost their profitability. It is hoped that this will establish a sustainable ecosystem for battery waste recycling in India.

Financial penalties and their impact

Yadav added that the system will impose fines on producers, who will accrue credits based on the sums they pay to fulfill their obligations. These can be transferred to recyclers as compensation for their efforts. This approach will motivate recyclers and ensure their profitability. Yadav stressed that recycling cannot survive without profitability, which has made economic factors driving forces behind such initiatives.

Centralized information portal

The CPCB is also creating a central portal to make the registration process for recyclers and producers easier. The portal will provide a single window for all data regarding battery recycling. Although still under development, this platform is expected to make it easy to generate and transfer EPR credits, hence making it easy for producers to fulfill their commitments. The aim is to ensure that the process is smooth and supports the producer and recycler in the execution of their responsibilities.

Growing electric vehicle market

The conference also shed light on the growth of electric vehicles in India. So far, by August 2024, nearly 4 million electric vehicles have been sold, and with government initiatives such as the PM-e Drive initiative, growth is expected to continue. According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, more than 140 GWh of Gigafactories are expected to be established by 2030 under the ACC Production-Linked Incentive scheme. There are projected to be more end-of-life batteries flooding into the market based on surges in sales, it's anticipated that around 90-100 GWh will need to be recycled yearly starting from 2030.

Challenges in battery recycling

However, these are just positive developments, and the industry of battery recycling has many challenges to overcome. Some of these challenges were highlighted by Rajat Verma, the founder of Lohum and chair of the India Recycling and Reuse Council (IRRC). Such formalization will cover the informal sector engaged in recycling, ensure traceability in the circular economy, define recycling standards, and build a skilled workforce. IESA is launching IRRC to overcome these challenges to establish a strong ecosystem for battery recycling and second-life applications.

Collaboration for the circular economy

IESA is working diligently with more than 20 battery recycling companies and government groups to create a robust system for battery recycling. It is creating regulations and tests on the reuse of batteries, thereby saving the environment. Recently, a summit was conducted on new recycling technologies and the problems of the industry. With people being more aware of the requirement of recycling and government support, India is ready to take the path to success in battery recycling, benefiting businesses and nature.

As India is set to witness tremendous growth in its battery market, given the rising adoption of EVs and new regulations such as EPR, it is imperative to address challenges while promoting profitability among recyclers. The successful building of a circular economy in battery management is highly dependent on cooperation between industry stakeholders and government bodies.