BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Now that PeopleForBikes and Call2Recycle have established the industry's first e-bike battery recycling program for U.S. retailers, proper training and equipment will be mandatory to ensure safe storage of expired packs returned to shops, according to a micromobility consulting group.
PeopleForBikes announced the recycling program on Nov. 3, with about 20 industry suppliers and manufacturers supporting and funding the safe collection and recycling of lithium-ion e-bike batteries to help reduce overall recycling costs. Retailers can begin enrolling in the program in February to become collection sites.
Most shops are still unaware of the program, which is optional. Some industry experts said retailers should embrace the program but also educate themselves on battery safety and invest in safety equipment before agreeing to participate.
More than 40 bike industry leaders from 20 PeopleForBikes member companies united under a sustainability task force and e-bike committee to design the program. It aims to address the environmental concerns associated with expired, damaged, or defective lithium-ion batteries.
"The coolest thing about this program is that it is a tangible demonstration of what (the industry is) capable of doing together," said Troy Jones, Specialized Bicycle Components social and environmental responsibility manager.
"The coolest thing about this program is that it is a tangible demonstration of what (the industry is) capable of doing together." — Troy Jones, Specialized Bicycle Components social and environmental responsibility manager
Also giving kudos to the program is Human Powered Solutions, which provides micromobility product advice — including safety and risk management — but said the program will only be as good as the program's safety protocols. It recently released the document, Safe Lithium-Ion Battery Storage and Charging Procedures for the eBike Shop, for retailers. Of note is its recommendation to have a fire-resistant cabinet, vented to the outside to dispel toxic fumes in case of thermal runaway, for storage of all batteries, including those awaiting recycling. For now, the cabinet will not be provided or required for participating retailers unless mandated under local fire regulations.
According to Mike Fritz, HPS founding partner and chief technology officer, an expired battery pack, especially one sourced with "cheap Chinese cells," can be a fire hazard.
And a damaged one? Fritz said keep it outside your building and call the fire department.
"Throughout the entire lifespan of a battery pack, from the day the cell is made to be integrated into a pack to the day it is dissolved in a vat of acid and all of the elements are extracted from the liquid, a cheap cell is going to be more dangerous than a quality cell," Fritz said.
Lower the quality, higher the risk
He recommends lithium-ion cells from only LG Chem, Panasonic, and Samsung but also added that a quality battery doesn't have to be at the end of its life, damaged, or defective to fail.
"Bottom line is, cheap cells are dangerous," Fritz said. "I am scared to death that millions of cheap cells are in containers on their way to our shores, some of which are going to go into bike shops, some of which are going to get sold direct, but the likelihood that they're going to fail has got to be a lot higher than the likelihood that a good quality battery pack is going to fail."
“Throughout the entire lifespan of a battery pack, from the day the cell is made to be integrated into a pack to the day it is dissolved in a vat of acid and all of the elements are extracted from the liquid, a cheap cell is going to be more dangerous than a quality cell.” — Mike Fritz, HPS chief technology officer
In addition to a fire-resistant cabinet, HPS, part of PeopleForBikes' e-bike subcommittee, recommends retailers have: a "charging station cart" of metal wire construction and on wheels so it can be rolled out of a shop quickly in case of emergency; at least one Class ABC fire extinguisher nearby; and a smoke alarm, preferably one wired to the security system that will notify the fire department.
HPS said retailers and bike owners should never charge a battery pack unattended.
Fritz added that research is coming to light that the materials extracted from a recycled lithium-ion battery are in fact better than raw materials. "The benefits of recycling is a wonderful thing," Fritz said. "PeopleForBikes deserves to be proud of this accomplishment, but not to the extent of ignoring the safety issues that hopefully will go away in the relatively near future (with the eventual development of a solid-state lithium-ion battery). But in the meantime, we need to be proactive and see to it that we don't hurt anybody."
Call2Recycle's plan
Call2Recycle, a nonprofit that collects and delivers batteries to recycling processors, said it will provide retailers safe handling and packaging training, all necessary safety materials, and will arrange for the collection, transportation, and recycling. The training will center on storing, collecting, and handling, identifying and mitigating imminent thermal runaway — when heat generated within a battery exceeds what can be dissipated — identifying a damaged or defective battery, and shipment preparation.
"We’re saying we don’t really think it should be an option based on the fact you have to have some way to store these batteries when there are no people around. The bulk of what they’ve got here is great suppression material. But you have to have an individual to interface with it to make it work." — Jay Townley, HPS founding partner
At the onset of the program, the complimentary safety kit includes a fire blanket, fire suppressant pillow, heat protection gloves, a steel basin to contain overheating batteries, and a safe-handling and packing poster for the service department. Retailers have the option to purchase a fire-resistant cabinet, Call2Recycle said.
Jay Townley, also an HPS founding partner and a BRAIN columnist, said retailers should consider a cabinet mandatory. "You have to have some way to store these batteries when there are no people around," he said. "The bulk of what they've got here (in the Call2Recycle safety kit) is great suppression material. But you have to have an individual to interface with it to make it work. Short of a smoke alarm system, if you don't have a fire-resistant cabinet when nobody's in the store ... You can't throw a blanket if you're not there. You can't use this material if you're not there."
Fritz said he uses and recommends a Globa Industrial cabinet that costs about $1,000.
Pedego: Fire-resistant cabinets wise investment
Participating brand Pedego Electric Bikes has been subsidizing the expense of industrial-grade fire-resistant cabinets for the past seven years for each of its stores. "We believe that it is a worthwhile investment, particularly when storing batteries that you have no way to know what may have happened to them in the hands of a consumer," Pedego CEO Don DiCostanzo said. "Lastly, safety training is very important and is paramount to the success of all of our dealers. We provide both training at our headquarters and in-store training on an ongoing basis."
Specialized, which is joining the industry program after getting a head start earlier this year in developing its own recycling agreement with Call2Recycle and has had 75 shops complete training, also provides a Damaged and Defective Battery Kit, Jones said. It consists of a 6-gallon bucket and CellBlock, a material that converts to glass and encases a battery undergoing thermal runaway. This is used to package batteries when transported.
“We believe that it is a worthwhile investment, particularly when storing batteries that you have no way to know what may have happened to them in the hands of a consumer. ... ” — Pedego CEO Don DiCostanzo
Jones said this is provided at Specialized's expense initially. "At the point we transition to the industry program, these materials become the property of the industry program, and SBC is reimbursed. It's important to note that it is up to each shop to know the requirements of their local fire marshal. If the solution we provide does not meet the fire marshals' requirements, the dealer is responsible for providing a compliant solution. ... If they want the cabinet, that would be up to the retailer or if required by the local fire marshal."
Call2Recycle works with a network of approved service providers for battery sorting and processing. Whenever possible, Call2Recycle will have recycling done as close as possible to where the materials are generated.
Webinar to discuss program's benefits
PeopleForBikes will develop marketing materials to further educate consumers on how to identify when their battery is reaching its end of life, as well as how and where to properly recycle it. On Dec. 1, the National Bicycle Dealers Association will host a webinar, Connecting Riders to E-Bike Battery Recycling: A Conversation with Call2Recycle and PeopleForBikes.
Manufacturers will sign contracts with Call2Recycle to participate in the program. Each of these companies will pay into the industry fund based on the number of batteries placed into the market. Funds collected will be used to administer the program, including recycling kits, transportation and logistics, safety materials, and rider education.
According to Call2Recycle, the program's cost with current commitments for the first year in 2022 will start at about $3 million, based on an estimated 15% of batteries coming out of the market. In 2030, the costs might reach about $46 million, based on the expectation that about 65% of the batteries 5 years and older will come out of the market.
Beginning in February, e-bike retailers can begin enrolling as a collection site at no cost. Once enrolled, retail locations will be linked from Call2Recycle's and PeopleForBikes' websites.
Retailers will have the option to participate, which Townley said is important because no shop should have to if it doesn't think it has received the proper training or lacks appropriate safety equipment.
While participation in the program is optional for retailers, all retailers should have a plan for disposing of batteries one way or another, pointed out Call2Recycle CEO and President Leo Raudys. "Based on the Universal Waste Law, the retailer is not allowed to dispose of these in the waste stream and would be required to find another solution," he said.
In addition to Pedego and Specialized, participating brands include Alta Cycling Group; BCycle; Benno Bikes; BikeCo; Bosch eBike Systems; Breezer Bikes; Cannondale; Charge Electric Bikes; Co-op Cycles; Diamondback; Electra Bicycle Company; Fazua; Fuji Bikes; Gazelle USA; Giant Bicycles; IZip; Liv Cycling; Madsen Cycles; Marin Bikes; Momentum Bikes; Norco Bicycles; QBP Charitable Fund; Quality Bicycle Products; Radio Flyer; Rad Power Bikes; REI Co-op; Rocky Mountain Bicycles; Santa Cruz Bicycles; Shimano North America; Super73; Surly Bikes; Tern North America; Trek Bicycle; Tuesday Cycles; Urban Arrow; VAAST Bicycles; and Yamaha Motor Corporation-Yamaha Bicycles.
DiCostanzo said this is something the industry has a responsibility to do for safety and ecological reasons. "We are big fans of the Call2Recycle program," DiCostanzo said. "I actually tried to work something out many years ago with them. ... We will be rolling out this program with all of our dealers in early December at our annual dealer conference."
Specialized got the ball rolling
Jones said Specialized agreed with Redwood Materials to recycle all warranty batteries last year. "We started to discuss expanding that to include all end-of-life batteries in the U.S. and realized that neither Redwood nor SBC had the logistics network and expertise to make that happen," Jones said. "At the end of 2020, Call2Recycle had set up an e-bike recycling program in Canada, so we started speaking with their U.S. team about setting up a program for us."
According to Jones, Call2Recycle had been discussing the industry recycling plan with PeopleForBikes but with nothing finalized, Specialized struck its deal with Call2Recycle but made sure getting a headstart would not jeopardize the eventual industry program.
"Once it became clear that an industry program was viable, we made every effort to ensure that ours transitioned seamlessly into the industry program, and that our investments and learnings could ensure the successful rollout of the industry program," Jones said. "The feedback we have received since has validated that our launch created awareness and a sense of urgency that has helped other brands come to the table."
"We are seeing much more consumption of these types of bikes, and it certainly behooves us as an industry to get ahead of the curve so we have solutions in place before the problems have an opportunity to manifest into wide-ranging inhibitors of the e-bike movement." — Jenny Kallista, PBMA president
While Seattle's Rat City Bikes doesn't sell e-bikes, owner Aaron Goss works with Total Reclaim for all of his e-waste and said the industry should get behind the program.
"There should be a mandate for consumers to properly recycle their e-bike batteries, but run it through retailers and service shops," Goss said. "Most consumers just throw them in the garbage, along with all their e-waste. Just have it a line item on the excise tax return. Make it a condition of the sale of a new bike or replacement battery. Heck, add it to regular cells like AAA and even hearing aid batteries. It wouldn't be much. But never allow a retailer to store large quantities of dead batteries. They are a fire hazard."
And that goes to Townley's and Fritz's concerns.
"The Professional Bike Mechanics Association has surveyed this among their members," Townley said. "The bulk of the shops that they surveyed weren't aware and don't do anything special (with the handling of batteries in their shops). So we want to bring some uniformity to it. The dealers do not universally understand what they're dealing with. This idea that they have to buy a fire-resistant cabinet is an expense to them. I think they will reach out to the brands for help. The whole issue of what is the risk and risk management is appreciable from the standpoint of the retailer."
PBMA President Jenny Kallista said the survey results will be shared during Friday's PBMA-NBDA webinar on Safe Charging and Storage of Lithium-ion Batteries. Fritz will be a guest speaker. Kallista said the webinar had been scheduled before the recycling program was announced.
"We are seeing much more consumption of these types of bikes, and it certainly behooves us as an industry to get ahead of the curve so we have solutions in place before the problems have an opportunity to manifest into wide-ranging inhibitors of the e-bike movement,'' she said.
Lithium-ion battery fires make headlines
Townley and Fritz noted the recent headlines in New York City about a spate of lithium-ion battery fires caused by improper or unattended charging. The FDNY issued a warning last month about the dangers.
"There are stories about fire departments putting out a car fire with 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water," Fritz said. "A lithium-ion battery fire can take up to 40,000 gallons of water, and it's still not out, because if there's any residual energy, it's subject to re-combusting a day later.
"We're not trying to say e-bikes are dangerous in and of themselves, or lithium-ion batteries are dangerous. The likelihood you're going to have a failure is miniscule, maybe 1 in 100,000. It generally doesn't happen. But the issue is when it does happen, it's so catastrophic, it's so potentially dangerous that taking a couple simple steps to mitigate the danger is well worth the effort. And that's the message we're trying to bring. We don't want e-bikes to get a label of a hazardous product or dampen the enthusiasm for e-bikes. And it carries over from dealer to consumer."
Townley, while urging that retailers be cautious, said he supports the program.
"On the surface it looks like a good program," Townley added. "The bike industry and the e-bike industry are all excited about recycling. There's a lot that still needs to be done, particularly on the retail side. But recycling fits into what's occurring right now in Glasgow (site of the Climate Change Conference in Scotland). It's a good start. Lithium-ion batteries need to be recycled for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is to recapture and reclaim the material."
