Recycling energy storage cabinet

Does recycling save energy and natural resources?

Recycling often saves energy and natural resources. Natural resources include land, plants, minerals, and water. When we use materials more than once, we conserve natural resources. Making a product from recycled materials almost always requires less energy than is required to make the product from new materials.

How does direct recycling save energy?

Direct recycling, sometimes called "cathode to cathode recycling," saves energy by preserving the highly engineered cathode structure that is the most valuable part of the lithium-ion battery and reducing the amount of manufacturing needed to recycle these materials into a new battery.

How much energy does it take to make a product from recycled materials?

Making a product from recycled materials almost always requires less energy than is required to make the product from new materials. For example, using recycled aluminum cans to make new aluminum cans uses 95% less energy than using bauxite ore, the raw material aluminum is made from.

Why should we recycle used lithium-ion batteries?

Recycling used lithium-ion batteries (and the devices that contain them) will help address emerging issues associated with the clean energy transition and prevent problems caused by inappropriate battery disposal. End-of-life lithium-ion batteries contain valuable critical minerals needed in the production of new batteries.

Does recycling a ton of paper save energy?

For example, using recycled aluminum cans to make new aluminum cans uses 95% less energy than using bauxite ore, the raw material aluminum is made from. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one ton of paper could: Last updated: August 17, 2022 An introduction to recycling and how recycling can conserve energy.

Should batteries be recycled?

Making sure these smaller lithium-ion batteries get collected and recycled will support the growing battery recycling industry in the U.S. Sending end-of-life batteries for recycling also keeps them out of the household garbage and recycling systems, where they can start fires and endanger workers and nearby communities.