What if we finally returned to removable batteries in smartphones and mobile devices? That’s good, the European Union has just passed a law to force manufacturers to make them more easily replaceable and recyclable.
To address the long-standing problem of the planned obsolescence of electronic devices, which is a major source of pollution – between the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing and electronic waste, the ecological cost is high –, Ihe European Parliament voted, on Wednesday June 14, a directive establishing environmental rules on the production and management of batteries, so that they are more durable, more efficient, more resistant and better recycled. With 587 votes for, 9 against and 20 abstentions, MEPs were almost unanimous! A law that is part of the European Union’s overall project to achieve a circular economy by 2050 – i.e. avoiding extracting scarce resources to manufacture products that become electronic waste, but rather transforming these to manufacture a new generation of products.
Batteries: when will there be standardized formats for all mobile devices?
Would you ever think of buying a portable radio, a flashlight or a remote control equipped with a non-removable battery? No ! Finally, we hope so… In fact, all these everyday electronic objects operate using conventional batteries – or rechargeable batteries – which can be easily removed and replaced with their equivalents, whatever their brand. This is the case for many devices. But not for smartphones, tablets and laptops, which all now use specific – “proprietary” – batteries that are impossible to replace without going through a specialized service, such as after-sales service or repair. A real technological and ecological aberration, especially when we know that they are not eternal: all these electro-chemical accumulators have in essence a limited lifespan which determines – not at all incidentally – the lifespan of the devices that integrate them. by causing a form of programmed obsolescence. Who wants to spend several tens of euros – or more – to replace the worn out battery of an “old” phone or an “old” laptop when you can afford a new model for a little more?
And that’s not to mention the problems of manufacturing and recycling batteries, which weigh heavily on the environment – and therefore on our future. No offense to manufacturers who always invoke technological considerations – performance, innovation… – or “ethical” – freedom –, it is high time to return to removable, easily interchangeable batteries in all electronic devices to fight against this immense mess. and thus return to a sustainable economy. We could even dream, in a better world, of seeing one day standardized formats appear for all batteries – as for standard batteries – whether for smartphones, tablets or computers. This would considerably simplify our daily life… Without going so far as this utopian vision – although… – the European Union has looked into the problem of batteries.
Cars, electric vehicles, bicycles, scooters, smartphones, computers, industrial batteries… All of them will have to meet sustainability, safety and circularity requirements in the years to come. The goal: to boost their production in Europe while limiting their ecological impact. This law, for the time being provisional, will cover “the entire battery life cycle, from design to disposal, and will apply to all types of batteries sold in the EU “, explains the parliament. This project therefore concerns portable batteries (for telephones and computers), SLI batteries (for “heavy” vehicles, such as electric cars), light means of transport (MTL: for wheeled vehicles such as scooters and electric bicycles), batteries for electric vehicles (EV) and industrial batteries.
European agreement: batteries easier to change for consumers
The Battery Act covers several aspects of the sector. First, it must directly benefit consumers, by making batteries more efficient, safer and easier to remove and replace, within three years. Indeed, when the battery of a mobile device fails or reaches the end of its life, the device becomes completely unusable, for lack of being able to replace it easily. This is true for phones, tablets and laptops, but even more so for small devices like wireless headphones, which are very difficult to disassemble and repair. An ecological and technical aberration because it is much smarter to change the defective battery than to buy a new device to replace it. A point that poses a problem for some major manufacturers, including Apple. If the firm is making efforts with its new models – in particular the iPhone 14, of which eleven elements can be changed, against only one for the first iPhone – the repairability index of its devices is rather low. Not to mention that the prices for changing their battery are completely skyrocketing, with up to 60 euros extra! But this “defect” also concerns all smartphone manufacturers who have abandoned the replaceable batteries still used a few years ago by non-removable models… They will however have to rethink their devices, whether in their design or their design, to facilitate battery replacement. Indeed, the new directive requires that “consumers [puissent] easily remove and replace them themselves”. This is unambiguous!
Another point: all batteries will have to carry labels and QR codes to inform consumers – who are a key lever for change – about their performance, lifespan and composition. For the batteries of scooters, cars and certain industrial batteries, they will have to be provided with a “digital battery passport” detailing their characteristics and their uses. It should be noted in passing that batteries for electric vehicles (EV), batteries for light means of transport (MTL) and rechargeable industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2 kWh must have a declaration and a carbon footprint label.
Batteries: A Due Diligence Policy for the Industry
In order to reduce the quantity of resources that have to be imported into Europe – especially as they are sometimes produced in deplorable working conditions, by employing children, for example – the EU has also set up targets collection and recycling requirements. Thus, for portable batteries, companies must have a take-back rate of at least 45% from 2023, 63% for 2027, and 73% before the end of 2030. For batteries for bicycles, electric scooters and scooters (MTL batteries ), the minimum collection rate will be 51% by 2028, and 61% by 2031. All MTL, EV, SLI and industrial batteries will have to be collected from users free of charge. The text also imposes minimum levels of certain recycled metals from manufacturing and consumer waste – 16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for nickel and 6% for lithium – to be reused for composition. new batteries. Thirteen years after the entry into force of the directive, these levels will be 26% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 12% for lithium and 15% for nickel. Finally, manufacturers will have to respect minimum levels of certain metals recovered from battery waste – 50% for lithium by 2027 and 80% by 2031; and 90% by 2027 and 95% by 2031 for cobalt, copper, lead and nickel.
Compliance with EU green production criteria will be a prerequisite for the sale of a battery within the Union. “This law sets environmental requirements for all batteries, whether produced in Europe or imported, and will gradually restrict access to the European market to the most durable batteries”, explains Pascal Canfin, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament. But the interest is not only ecological.
“For the first time we have circular economy legislation that covers the whole life cycle of a product – this approach is good for both the environment and the economy”, rejoiced the rapporteur Achille Variati. Indeed, this agreement aims to guarantee Europe’s energy savings when, according to forecasts, its battery needs will be 14 times greater by 2030. Indeed, it seeks to strengthen European industry batteries – the famous circular economy – while reducing the EU’s dependence on imports of critical metals – hence the rates of recycled lithium, nickel, cobalt and lead. Because in this sector, Europe is only third behind Asia – in particular China, Japan and South Korea – and the United States. By 2030, Europe is aiming for 25% of global battery production, compared to only 3% in 2020. To achieve this, the Old Continent is increasing investment in the sector, with around forty battery plant projects. batteries in 2021. “Our overall objective is to build a stronger European recycling industry, especially for lithium, and a competitive industrial sector as a whole, which is crucial in the decades to come for the energy transition and the strategic autonomy of our continent. “, explains Achille Variati. From now on, the text must be formally approved by the Council, before being published in the Official Journal of the EU.