These spent lithium batteries enter the recycling chain once their capacity drops to a level that no longer meets the demands of their original use cases. They cover a wide range of categories, including consumer electronics batteries, power batteries, and energy storage batteries.

Their value lies in a dual rebirth model: Batteries in relatively good condition can get a second life of 3–5 years through echelon utilization, serving as backup power supplies for energy storage stations and communication base stations.

For those completely retired, metals are extracted via professional technologies. The recovery rate of lithium, nickel, and cobalt through formal recycling processes can reach over 95%.

Notably, each ton of ternary lithium batteries can yield 15 kg of lithium and 200 kg of nickel. These recycled resources can be reused to produce new batteries, reducing the need for primary mineral mining.

More importantly, standardized recycling avoids environmental risks. If spent batteries are discarded randomly or processed through crude methods like incineration and acid leaching by unlicensed workshops, their electrolytes and heavy metals will contaminate soil and water sources, and may even trigger fires.

On the contrary, recycling through official channels not only safeguards the ecological bottom line, but also bolsters energy security, making true green circular economy a reality.