Lithium ions are atoms of lithium metal with a net positive charge. They are the source of the power that enables lithium-ion batteries to store electricity, and power our devices. Our world has abundant reserves of lithium metal to last a long time. Why fuss over recycling lithium ions, when we can just extract them from the ground as needed?
Recycling Lithium Ions Causes Less Carbon Emissions
We need to cut back on the amount of carbon-dioxide gas our society releases into Earth’s atmosphere. We may not be convinced that this is a problem right now, although the evidence is certainly showing in our weather patterns.
Almost all industrial processes contribute to our changing climate. We need to tackle every opportunity to reverse this, and lithium ions should be no exception. We need to start recycling them now.
Using fresh lithium ions that we extract from the ground, releases carbon dioxide gas at every stage of the process:
- The mechanical devices that we use in lithium mining and evaporation, use gasoline which releases carbon dioxide.
- The factories where we process the raw lithium, use electricity which is at least partly coal-based and releases carbon dioxide.
- The cargo vessels that ship the processed lithium to battery factories, run on diesel fuel which releases carbon dioxide.
We could avoid this pollution and have greener batteries, if we re-used the lithium we already have in spent ones. This is why we should fuss over recycling lithium ions, and get started now in case you are still wondering.
Why Chop Down Trees When You Already Have Wood?
Demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to grow, although it will slow as other alternatives mature. Some day, these batteries may vanish completely from our markets. We are not at that tipping point, but it will come in time.
If we took the question why fuss over recycling lithium ions a stage further, and started doing it at scale, then the carbon-dioxide costs attached to lithium ions would reduce considerably.
If we did nothing, on the other hand, then we could end up burying billions of lithium ions at great cost, including to the environment. The answer to the question should surely be ‘because we could help preserve our environment in the medium term’.
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