BIR Electronics Committee Highlights Critical Raw Materials Recycling and Industry Communication at Gothenburg Meeting

Delegates discuss recycling challenges, EV battery demand, circular economy initiatives and the role of language in shaping industry perceptions

At a plenary session in Gothenburg on June 2, BIR announced that its Electrics, Electronics and EV Batteries Committee will now be known as the Electronics Committee.

Addressing delegates, Josephita Harry, Chair of the Committee and representative of Pan American Zinc LLC, USA, said the revised name is “short and simple” and more relatable.

The session focused on the role of language in shaping perceptions of the recycling industry and was preceded by presentations examining critical raw materials recycling in Europe and the future demand for minerals driven by electric vehicle adoption.

Recycling Critical Raw Materials in Europe

Dr Spyros Karamoutsos, General Manager of electronics recycler ECORESET, Greece, outlined challenges associated with recovering critical raw materials from end-of-life electronic products.

He noted that electronic waste streams are highly heterogeneous and that recyclers often lack information regarding the location of critical raw materials within discarded products.

According to Dr Karamoutsos, while the EU Critical Raw Materials Action Plan and the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) recognise the value of materials contained in used electronics, additional measures are required to improve recovery rates.

These measures include ensuring uniform operating conditions across the sector to support the production of high-quality recycled materials, harmonised classification rules throughout the European Union, collection methodologies tailored to different electronics streams, and financial penalties for collectors removing key components from discarded devices.

He also highlighted the need for clearer identification and labelling of products, including information on material composition, the location of critical raw materials and guidance on their removal.

Dr Karamoutsos stated that increasing product complexity requires closer cooperation between manufacturers and recyclers before products reach end-of-life.

He further said that progress in recovering critical raw materials would require collaboration among manufacturers, recyclers, collection schemes and public authorities at both national and European levels.

Neo-Cycle Project Focuses on Hard Disk Drive Magnets

Dr Karamoutsos also provided an update on the Neo-Cycle project, in which ECORESET is involved.

The project focuses on the upcycling of neodymium and boron recovered from spent hard disk drive magnets. Following manual extraction, the magnets are de-magnetised, ground and processed through solid-state chlorination. Subsequent leaching enables selective recovery of:

Neodymium in the form of oxalate for use in the pharmaceuticals industry in the production of artificial ingredients.
Iron in the form of iron hydroxide for use in the fertiliser industry.
Boron in the form of esters for use in polymer production.

The process is currently being scaled up to pilot level, with final project results expected by mid-2028.

EV Growth Expected to Drive Mineral Demand

The second guest presentation was delivered by Alexandre Gouy, Analyst at the International Energy Agency.

According to Gouy, approximately 20% of cars sold globally this year will be electric, with the share expected to exceed 50% by 2035.

He noted that battery electric vehicles consume around six times more critical minerals than internal combustion engine vehicles and that electric vehicles and batteries currently account for approximately half of global lithium demand.

Gouy stated that end-of-life batteries are expected to surpass manufacturing scrap as the primary source of battery recycling feedstock by the mid-2030s.

He added that around 85% of global battery recycling capacity is currently located in China, where most electric vehicle batteries are manufactured.

While recycling operations are presently concentrated near battery manufacturing facilities, Gouy said additional recycling capacity is expected to be developed in Europe and North America.

He also emphasised the importance of expanding collection systems alongside recycling infrastructure.

According to Gouy, battery recycling rates of 90% could allow secondary production to meet between 25% and 30% of demand for lithium, nickel and cobalt. If collection rates remain at 50%, this contribution would decline to between 15% and 20%.

Using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries as an example, he noted that recycling costs can sometimes exceed the value of recovered materials. He outlined alternative approaches, including toll-based recycling systems in which customers retain ownership of recovered minerals while paying for recycling services.

Industry Discusses Language and Perception

The latter part of the session focused on how terminology influences perceptions of the recycling sector among policymakers, investors and the public.

Joining the discussion was John Sacco, Advisor to Sierra International Machinery, USA, and host of the Repurposed online documentary series.

Participants discussed the continued use of terms such as “e-waste” and “waste” within legislation and policy frameworks, while examining how the industry communicates the value of recovered materials.

Mr Sacco stated that the language used to describe recycled materials can influence perceptions of the sector and pointed to the decision by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries to become the Recycled Materials Association.

He encouraged industry participants to invest in communication, branding and public engagement activities, including educational outreach and facility visits.

Ms Harry also urged delegates to advocate for the industry by communicating the benefits and contributions of recycling activities.

Dr Karamoutsos described recycled materials as resources that support the circular economy, while Gouy highlighted the sector’s role in supporting the broader energy transition and stressed the importance of effective communication.