China is entering its first significant phase of electric vehicle battery retirements, raising concerns about the country’s ability to safely recycle growing volumes of lithium-ion waste, according to a report by Inside Climate News.
Citing a joint China-US study, the report said China generated about 400,000 metric tonnes of retired EV batteries in 2025. That figure is projected to increase to 1.69 million tonnes by 2030 and 22.39 million tonnes by 2040.
The surge follows rapid EV adoption, with annual battery-powered vehicle sales rising from nearly one million in 2018 to more than 16 million in 2025. Since EV batteries generally last around eight years, large-scale retirements are now beginning.
Although China introduced a formal battery recycling system in 2018 and had approved more than 150 certified recyclers by 2023 with a combined annual processing capacity of 623,000 tonnes, the report said only about one-quarter of retired batteries were handled through these authorised facilities. Much of the remaining waste reportedly went to uncertified recyclers.
The report also cited a 2026 investigation by Chinese financial outlet Yicai, which found that around 100 companies on the government’s approved recycler list were either no longer operating or could not be contacted.
Improper recycling practices have raised environmental concerns. The report highlighted a 2024 case in Jiangxi Province where an uncertified company illegally dismantled 364 metric tonnes of lithium iron phosphate batteries, causing forest damage that killed vegetation across six acres and destroyed more than 420 cubic feet of standing timber.