Estimated End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Battery Resources for Potential Recycling in Bangladesh

This study analyzes open access data on the input and generation of end-of-life lithium-ion batteryLithium-ion battery waste supply for a potential commercial battery recyclingBattery recycling industry in BangladeshBangladesh.. Four main sources were identified in the battery waste pool: mobile phones, laptop and tablet PCs, small handheld devices, and hybrid electric vehicles. Their predicted generation rate and volume by type were forecasted to the year 2041 based on the available historic data and assumptions. Such batteries contain commercially recoverable quantity of base metals like Co, Ni, and Mn as well as other common metals like Li, Cu, Al, and Fe. These metals are in high demand for Bangladesh where urban mining and ‘informal recyclingRecycling’ currently present challenges to public health, ecological safety, and resource efficiency. A precise estimate of secondary resource inventory, cumulative growth, and economic forecasting of battery waste can pave the way for ‘formal recyclingRecycling’ which will attract national and international investments.