Building a competitive and circular battery value chain in Europe

Industry leaders, academics and recycling experts gathered at “La filiera italiana del riciclo delle batterie: nuovi attori, tecnologie e prospettive” to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of battery recycling in Italy and Europe. The event, organised by ERION, provided a platform for dialogue on market development, innovation and circularity within the sector.

Representing Tradebe Environmental Services and its battery recycling facility, Spirit, Domenico Geraci, Italy Country Manager at Tradebe Environmental Services, joined experts from RAEEMAN, SeVAL, Eni and the University of Calabria to discuss downstream market opportunities for recovered battery materials and the development of a more integrated and competitive battery recycling value chain in Italy and Europe.

During the discussion, it was highlighted the importance of collaboration across the sector to strengthen domestic recycling capabilities and support the creation of sustainable value chains for critical raw materials. Domenico also emphasised that, despite current market uncertainties, opportunities already exist to maximise the value of recovered materials through emerging industrial applications and off-take channels.  

Another key topic was the need to increase awareness and engagement across the battery value chain. While recycling technologies continue to advance, one of the sector’s main challenges remains cultural rather than technological. Improving collection rates and maximising material recovery will require greater awareness, education and training among all stakeholders, from producers to end users.

As the energy transition accelerates and demand for batteries continues to grow, recognising batteries as a strategic resource rather than a waste challenge will be essential to supporting both circularity and European industrial competitiveness.