Spent batteries: a global strategy for navigating the emerging e-mobility divide

The report highlights a growing 'e-mobility divide' where the Global North adopts high-value lithium-ion systems while the Global South relies on affordable but toxic lead-acid batteries. It identifies critical failures in traceability and international governance, specifically within the Basel Convention, which allow for 'waste colonialism' and hazardous informal recycling. The authors argue for mandatory extended producer responsibility, the creation of regional recycling hubs, and the integration of informal workers into formal systems to ensure a just energy transition.

• A structural asymmetry exists in electrification pathways: the Global North focuses on car-centric lithium-ion technologies with formal recycling, while the Global South utilizes lower-cost, high-turnover vehicles like e-bikes and three-wheelers often powered by toxic lead-acid batteries.
• Lead-acid batteries continue to dominate global battery trade by weight despite the growth of lithium-ion systems. In 2024, global exports of lead-acid batteries reached approximately 7.6 million tons, with Asia exporting 46% (3.5 million tons), Europe 40% (3 million tons), and the Americas 13% (1 million tons).
• Lithium-ion battery exports are highly concentrated in Asia, which accounted for 3.4 million tons (79%) of the 4.3 million tons of global export weight in 2024. Europe accounted for 17% (0.75 million tons) and the Americas 3% (0.15 million tons).
• Informal recycling of lead-acid batteries in the Global South creates severe health and environmental hazards. In Bangladesh, the uptake of lead-acid battery-powered three-wheelers has led to informal recycling that exposes communities to dangerous lead levels.
• Current international governance, including the Basel Convention, is inadequate for the scale of EV battery electrification. Ambiguities in hazardous waste categories for battery packs intended for second-life applications create enforcement loopholes and delay formal recycling investments.
• Global e-waste generation is outstripping recycling capacity, with 62 million metric tons generated in 2022 but only 22% formally collected and recycled. Volumes are projected to reach 82 million tons by 2030.
• The trade of battery scrap is heavily skewed; lead-acid scrap exports are concentrated in the Americas (with the US exporting 0.62 million tons in 2024), while Asia is the largest net importer of lead-acid scrap, with imports valued at USD 1.82 billion between 2022 and 2024.

APA

Xylia, M., Taketani, S., & Pacini, H. (2026). Spent batteries: a global strategy for navigating the emerging e-mobility divide. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/spent-batteries-sei2026-024.pdf

Chicago

Xylia, Maria, Seitaro Taketani, and Henrique Pacini. Spent batteries: a global strategy for navigating the emerging e-mobility divide. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2026. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/spent-batteries-sei2026-024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Xylia |first1=Maria |last2=Taketani |first2=Seitaro |last3=Pacini |first3=Henrique |title=Spent batteries: a global strategy for navigating the emerging e-mobility divide |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2026 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/spent-batteries-sei2026-024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{xylia2026spent, author = {Xylia, Maria and Taketani, Seitaro and Pacini, Henrique}, title = {{Spent batteries: a global strategy for navigating the emerging e-mobility divide}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/spent-batteries-sei2026-024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }