I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that most people reading this own a cell phone. These devices, being so common today, are generally something we just take for granted. But if you were given all the raw materials and tools needed to assemble a phone, I bet you still wouldn’t be able to do it. The processes we’ve developed are a result of millennia of accumulated knowledge. Even the lithium-ion battery that powers it has to go through a multitude of steps and travel thousands of miles to be fitted into the frame. This is a process that also produces a lot of greenhouse gases—but we can change that.
A new study by Stanford University found that recycling lithium-ion batteries reduces greenhouse gas emissions by half and water and energy usage by 75%, compared to conventional mining and refinement. The study’s data was sourced from Redwood Materials and its industrial battery-recycling facility, the largest in North America. It is important to note that Redwood’s results are not representative of the entire lithium battery-recycling industry, as its process and location play a significant role in its success. However, other companies are constantly innovating, as they must if we are to be prepared for the future. Our world is becoming increasingly reliant on batteries, and with our resources likely running out in the next decade, it is imperative that we capitalize on this solution while we can.¹

1. Golden, Mark. “Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries Delivers Significant Environmental Benefits.” Stanford.edu, Stanford University, 31 Jan. 2025, news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/01/recycling-lithium-ion-batteries-cuts-emissions-and-strengthens-supply-chain. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025. ↩︎