The Governor of the U.S. State of Colorado, has signed a new bill into law, whereby Colorado enforces EV battery recovery by suppliers. This should help manage the mounting pile of used EV batteries in the state, and encourage other jurisdictions to follow suit.
Summary of Colorado Rules for EV Battery Recovery
The Battery Stewardship Act SB26-003 (End-of-Life Management of Electric Vehicle Batteries) as amended, became law on June 3, 2026, and is the first of its kind in the United States.
The legislation calls on electric vehicle battery suppliers – as opposed to original manufacturers – to submit stewardship plans for collecting, transporting, processing, and recycling used electric vehicle batteries they supplied.
The legislation signed by the Colorado governor, which we link to below, further regulates EV battery recovery in the state. Suppliers must now comply as follows:
- Register with the Department of Public Health and Environment before July 1, 2027.
- Submit a customer education and outreach plan to the Department before January 2, 2029.
- Obtain approval of their customer education and outreach plan (that must meet departmental requirements) before July 1, 2029.
- Maintain at least one public website containing details of their approved customer education and outreach plan.
- Not market or sell electric vehicle batteries after July 1, 2029 unless they have complied with all the above successfully.
- Cease delivering such batteries to solid waste disposal sites and facilities, on or after July 1, 2029.
Recovering Electric Vehicle Batteries in Colorado
EV battery suppliers must collect unwanted batteries, and manage them responsibly according to their approved plans. Furthermore, all such batteries sold after July 1, 2029, shall carry labels detailing the battery recovery plan.
The way that Colorado is enforcing EV battery recovery is an interesting step forward. It shifts the emphasis away from electric vehicle manufacturers to battery suppliers.
Colorado is the only U.S. state to have implemented this approach. We shall wait and see with interest whether others follow. Time will tell, as it always does in our world of batteries, where there is always something new around the corner.
More Information
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Preview Image: Global Battery Makers
