An engineer inspects machinery at a factory that recycles new energy vehicle batteries in Linyi, Shandong province. CHINA DAILY

　　At a battery recycling facility in Hedong district of Linyi, Shandong province, the used batteries from new energy vehicles are processed into lithium, copper and aluminum powder in just over 10 minutes. This project, initiated at the end of last year, aims to transform old batteries into valuable resources.

　　As China steers toward a carbon dioxide peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, the new energy vehicle sector faces a rapid expansion. However, the recycling of used batteries, laden with heavy metals and environmental risks, presents a crucial challenge.

　　“In our city, new energy vehicles accounted for nearly half of all car sales last year, with a rapid growth of 40 percent, indicating the battery recycling facility in the district has a big market potential,“ said Sun Quancheng, a senior official of Hedong district.

　　The facility incorporates a sophisticated four-stage crushing process and three rounds of grinding and sorting into separate battery casings, black powder, copper powder and aluminum powder. Notably, it achieves a recycling rate that surpasses the industry average by 5 percentage points.

　　Cui Guoshi, the deputy general manager of Shandong Taigu Jiantou New Materials Co, which operates the facility, likens the final sorting process to “winnowing wheat“, where heavier copper and aluminum particles settle while lighter battery powder is carried upward by airflow.

　　“This meticulous sorting results in a battery powder with less than one percent copper and aluminum content, enhancing its quality for reuse,“ said Cui.