Environment and sustainability 

Disposal and recycling of accumulators and batteries

Our efforts with regard to sustainability go far beyond the minimum
requirements of the information and take-back obligation with regard to the products we sell.

Thus, we not only concentrate on the manufacturing process and distribution, but also focus on the entire life cycle of our products:

Die Verbreitung immer leistungsstärkerer Akkumulatoren nimmt stark zu. So wird unser modernes Leben im Beruf und Privat quasi ausnahmslos von Geräten und Gadgets geprägt, die mit Akkus betrieben werden. Für die Produktsicherheit ist auch der richtige Umgang mit den Akkus von höchster Wichtigkeit. Swaytronic ist sich dessen absolut bewusst und informiert ihre Kunden und Partner seit jeher über wichtige Hinweise und Sicherheitsvorschriften. Wir möchten in diesem Bereich eine noch grössere Rolle einnehmen und haben für Sie ein umfassendes Konzept erstellt, das die Bereiche «Betrieb», «Laden», «Lagerung/Transport» sowie «Entsorgung» beleuchtet.

Mit Qualitätssicherungsmassnahmen in unseren Design- und Produktionsverfahren setzen wir den Grundstein für unsere hohen Qualitätsansprüche. Zudem werden unsere Produkte fortlaufenden Produkt- und Leistungstests in Abhängigkeit von Akkuvariante und Technologie unterzogen. Entsprechende Zertifizierungen weisen aus, dass die europäischen Sicherheitsstandards eingehalten werden und die Zusammensetzung (verwendete Materialien) den Auflagen in Bezug auf Beschränkung der Verwendung gefährlicher Stoffe entspricht.

Take-back and recycling

We care a lot about our environment. Please take your ecological responsibility seriously and make your contribution to a sustainable resource cycle by returning used or defective batteries to the recycling process. To this end, we naturally accept our responsibility to take back used or defective rechargeable batteries free of charge. On selected dates, in cooperation with selected partners, we even reward your recycling intentions with a 20% discount on the purchase of a new battery - and simultaneous return of the old one - as part of our trade-in campaign. 

We are also interested in what happens to the batteries at the end of their life cycle. That is why we have highlighted the area of disposal and recycling for you below. Here you will find facts and figures, an overview of the most important players in the Swiss recycling market and you will learn why recycling and consequently your correct actions are so important. We conclude with a visit to the Swiss recycling company Batrec, where you will learn what ultimately happens to the rechargeable batteries and batteries you use after they have been properly returned to the recycling process. 

Swaytronic returned 521kg of lithium batteries to Inobat for recycling in 2021 

for recycling. 


Batteries should be returned to the official Inobat collection point. 

Facts, figures and actors

Die «Interessen-Organisation Batterieentsorgung» INOBAT ist Mitglied von Swiss Recycling und wurde 1991 gegründet. Sie erhebt im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Umwelt (BAFU) die vorgezogene Entsorgungsgebühr (VEG) und finanziert damit Sammlung, Transport und Recycling der gebrauchten Akkus und Batterien. Zudem wird ein Teil dieser finanziellen Mittel für Informations- und Werbemassnahmen für Handel und Bevölkerung verwendet. Das übergeordnete Ziel von INOBAT besteht in der Erhöhung der gegenwärtigen Sammelquote von rund 70% auf den vom BAFU vorgegebenen Zielwert von 80%.

Swiss Recycling ist ein Verein mit Sitz in Zürich, der am 14. August 1992 gegründet wurde. Gemäss Statuten bezweckt der Verein als Dachorganisation die Wahrung und Förderung der Interessen der in der Separat-Entsorgung gesamtschweizerisch tätigen Recycling-Organisationen (Swiss Recycling (a), online). Swiss Recycling versteht sich als fachkundiger Ansprechpartner und Kompetenz-Center in allen Fragen der Separatsammlung und des Wertstoff-Recyclings. Dabei verfolgt Swiss Recycling keine kommerziellen Zwecke und erstrebt keinen Gewinn. Aktuell umfasst Swiss Recycling elf Mitglieder sowie zwei Branchenpartner, darunter INOBAT Batterierecycling Schweiz, Verein PRS PET-Recycling Schweiz, TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG (Swiss Recycling (b), online).

Die Batrec Industrie AG ist ein weltweit tätiges Recyclingunternehmen mit Sitz im schweizerischen Wimmis. Batrec hat sich auf die wirtschaftliche, umweltfreundliche und nachhaltige Entsorgung von Sonderabfällen, insbesondere Batterien und Quecksilber, spezialisiert (BATREC (b), online). Dabei versteht die Batrec AG ihre Kernkompetenz wie folgt: „Die Batrec Industrie AG hat als weltweit einzige Firma ein System entwickelt, das sowohl die gefährlichen Giftstoffe von Altbatterien wie auch die metallischen Stoffe in einem geschlossenen Kreislauf vollständig isoliert und zu hochwertigen Produkten umarbeitet. Aus Sonderabfällen werden somit wertvolle Rohstoffe, die wieder dem Produktionskreislauf zugeführt werden können. Dieser Kreislauf garantiert einen nachhaltigen Umgang mit den Ressourcen, ist in hohem Masse umweltschonend und gilt weltweit als Referenz“ (BATREC (b), online).

Annual sales in Europe: > 5 billion batteries. Of which in Switzerland: approx. 120 million batteries (2.4%) Annual battery consumption in Switzerland: approx. 3500 tonnes (Batrec (a) online)


Why should I recycle rechargeable batteries and batteries?

According to Swiss Recycling, it is important that accumulators and batteries are disposed of properly and reprocessed/recycled in the best possible way for the following two reasons. On the one hand, accumulators and batteries contain many valuable raw materials that can be reused. On the other hand, it is very important not to dispose of them in ordinary rubbish as they contain some harmful heavy metals (Swiss Recycling (c), online). Batrec gives the same arguments, but is more explicit as follows: "Used batteries and accumulators do have a high proportion of recyclable materials.

However, they also contain environmentally hazardous toxins and heavy metals such as mercury, zinc, lead, cadmium and manganese, which must not be fed into the material cycle under any circumstances. If we collect used batteries and return them to the recycling process instead of throwing them in the rubbish, we make an important contribution to the conservation of resources. In addition, we protect the environment from harmful heavy metals and toxins" (BATREC (a) online). Furthermore, INOBAT points out that citizens are legally obliged to return used, defective, no longer needed batteries and accumulators to the point of sale or another collection point (INOBAT (a), online).

Where can I dispose of rechargeable batteries and batteries?

Thanks to the legal take-back obligation in Switzerland, rechargeable batteries and batteries can be returned free of charge wherever they can be purchased. This leads to over 11,000 collection points that you can use. 

In addition, collection containers are provided to the municipalities free of charge by the interest organisation battery disposal "INOBAT", so that accumulators and batteries can partly also be disposed of at the central collection points of the municipalities (INOBAT (b), online).

Return at Swaytronic

We at Swaytronic also collect your batteries for you in special UN-approved steel drums. The very high energy density of lithium-polymer batteries means that under certain conditions there is a risk of heating up to the point of fire. Therefore, please observe the following instructions before you hand in the battery at a sales or collection point:

  • Damaged or swollen batteries must be placed as quickly as possible in special UN-approved steel drums for lithium-ion/polymer batteries.

  • Discharge the battery to 3V/cell with the charger before disposal. However, only discharge the battery if it is not damaged or inflated and there is no danger of other damage. Contact us if you are unsure!
  • tape the individual poles and terminals to protect them from a short circuit.
  • Visibly damaged or inflated batteries should also be individually wrapped in plastic film/bag.
  • always transport your batteries in the protective covers / safe bags provided.

What happens to your LiPo afterwards?

After being returned to a point of sale or disposal point in a municipality, the rechargeable batteries and batteries are transported to Batrec Industrie AG. According to Swiss Recycling, it is the only Swiss battery recycler. 

That's why we were on site for you and experienced the recycling process first hand. 

First, however, a few insights into the conversation with the managing director of Batrec Industrie AG:

Interview with Dr Dieter Offenthaler

Managing Director of Batrec Industrie AG 

Where does Switzerland stand in international comparison in terms of recycling?
Batrec: No country collects more than Switzerland. Switzerland achieves the highest return rate.
What do you see as the reasons for this?
Batrec: On the one hand, Switzerland sets itself high targets with a target rate of over 80%, but above all the good system design enables high return rates.online). In other countries, the collection quota is partly imposed on the producers, which creates little incentive to collect more than the minimum, as it is of course also associated with costs. But the term "quota" should also be used with caution.
So with lithium-ion batteries we are far from the recycling target of over 80%?
Batrec: Yes and no. Actually, it is in the nature of the calculation basis. The return simply lags behind, so it is retarded. Anyone who buys an e-bike will not have it disposed of or recycled the following year, but perhaps in five to ten years.
Let's look at the recycling process of a lithium-ion battery. What materials result from this?
Batrec: On the one hand, there is copper and graphite from the copper foil on the anode. Then there is aluminium from the aluminium foil on the cathode. And finally the cathode material. However, this varies depending on the composition. If we look at a typical model battery, the cathode consists of lithium, cobalt and oxygen (LCO). The ultimate goal is to recover the cathode material, in this case cobalt, as a valuable material.
Why?
Batrec: If we look at the market for household batteries such as alkaline batteries, sales are relatively constant and the return rate is already at a high level. However, if we look at e-bikes, mobile applications, cordless products, etc., we can observe a strong growth in sales. However, the return rate of these lithium-ion battery-based products is still at a very low level of about 15%.
And lithium?
Batrec: Lithium is abundant and unproblematic. Salt lakes, mining/minerals and seawater are sources of lithium. The small fractions that could currently be recovered in the recycling process have so far been neglected.

Note Swaytronic: The amount of lithium in the battery decreases over its lifetime, as lithium is consumed during battery operation. The small amounts of remaining lithium are probably neglected until now due to economic goals of the recycling companies.

So cobalt is in short supply and problematic?
Batrec: Yes, that is correct. Almost all mining takes place in the Congo and this will continue to be the case in the future, as the world's future cobalt reserves are also located there. Driven, among other things, by the advent of electric mobility, cobalt has also become very expensive in recent years.
Benjamin Urech in conversation with Dieter Offenthaler
Cobalt
Lithium
Are there no alternatives to the cobalt cathode material?
Batrec: Tesla's batteries are so-called NCA batteries, i.e. they consist of nickel, cobalt and aluminium. The majority of the cathode material is nickel, which is available in abundance. In the new model, the cobalt content has also been reduced even further (see illustration; NCA + see p. 8). 
Back to lithium-ion batteries from model making. - What happens to a Swaytronic battery that we return to you? 
Batrec: Depending on the size, the batteries are first discharged in salt water. Then, if necessary, they are dismantled. Then the battery is shredded. During the shredding process, the electrolyte is washed away, which makes up 20-30% of the lithium batteries and is very flammable (similar to alcohol or petrol). 
The shredded material, which is no longer combustible, is then transported within our Veolia Group to France, where it undergoes hydrometallurgical processing. Finally, acid and alkali are used to extract the desired recyclables, cobalt and nickel. The following figure illustrates the recycling process.
What does the hydrometallurgy process look like?
Batrec: The powder containing Co and Ni - called black mass - is broken down with the help of an acid. In the process, Co and Ni are dissolved, while the graphite of the anodes, for example, remains as a leaching residue. The metals (Co & Ni) brought into solution are then successively precipitated again as Co or Ni salts and compounds in a next step. These compounds are then sold on as raw materials.
What do you see as Batrec's challenges in the future?
Batrec: One difficulty is to identify the cathode material so that pure extracts can be produced later. Another challenge is the strategic orientation. Currently, we are not designed to cope with the large quantities of accumulators from, for example, electromobility.
Information gathering 
BATREC (a). Battery recycling facts and figures. Online (13.09.2018): http://www.batrec.ch/de/Hintergrund BATREC (b). Profile. Online (13.09.2018): http://www.batrec.ch/de/Unternehmen BATREC (c) (2019). Recycling of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. (Unpublished presentation). INOBAT (a). Why should batteries be recycled? Online (07.09.2018): http://www.inobat.ch/de/Batterierecycling/WarumRecycling.php INOBAT (b). Battery recycling. Online (07.09.2018): http://www.inobat.ch/de/Batterierecycling/WoSammelstellen.php Swaytronic. Homepage. Online (07.09.2018): https://www.swaytronic.ch
Swiss Recycling (a). Swiss Recycling Charter. Online (13.09.2018): http://www.swissrecycling.ch/swiss-recycling/charta/ Swiss Recycling (b). Members. Online (13.09.2018): http://www.swissrecycling.ch/swiss-recycling/mitglieder/ Swiss Recycling (c). Recyclables. Online (07.09.2018): http://www.swissrecycling.ch/wertstoffe/batterien-und-akkus/ Swissquote. Critical metals: the battle for resources. Online (08.02.2019): https://de.swissquote.com/newsroom/magazine/dossier/rare- metals-new-resource-wars

Closing words

Recycling companies also pursue not only ecological goals and have to make profitability calculations in order to ensure competitiveness and to be able to exist on the market in the long term. As a result, not all materials are subject to the same recycling efforts. The moment the cost-benefit ratio from recovery becomes economically positive, the priorities between mining/reclamation and recycling will shift drastically. We at Swaytronic are committed to making Switzerland's good recycling system even better and hope that we could also motivate you to take your responsibility. For the sake of the environment and our next generations.

Benjamin Urech  - CEO SWAYTRONIC (Switzerland) AG
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