Business · Trade · 5 hrs ago
India bans exports of unsorted battery waste, including lithium-ion black mass
India has banned exports of unsorted battery waste with immediate effect.
The restriction covers waste and scrap from primary cells, batteries and electric accumulators that do not contain lead, cadmium or mercury, including lithium-ion battery black mass.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade changed the export status from “Free” to “Prohibited” until further orders.
Black mass is made by shredding used lithium-ion batteries and contains materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel that can be recovered for new batteries.
India’s capacity to process black mass remains limited, and some material has been exported without its valuable minerals being recovered.
The government says the ban is meant to strengthen domestic recycling and secure critical minerals.
Its ₹1,500-crore incentive scheme, launched in September, is intended to expand recovery from spent batteries and electronic waste.
India has banned exports of unsorted waste and scrap from certain batteries, including lithium-ion battery black mass.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade changed the export status from “Free” to “Prohibited” with immediate effect and until further orders.
The ban covers waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators that do not contain lead, cadmium or mercury.
The government says it wants to strengthen domestic battery recycling and recover critical minerals for use in new batteries.
- Who
- The Indian government, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- What
- It prohibited exports of unsorted waste and scrap from specified batteries, including lithium-ion battery black mass.
- When
- Tuesday; the ban took effect immediately.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The government aims to expand domestic battery recycling and recover critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The government launched a ₹1,500-crore incentive scheme for critical mineral recycling.
The government said India's capacity to process black mass and extract its minerals remained limited.
The government banned exports of the specified unsorted battery waste and scrap with immediate effect.
- Export status
- Changed from “Free” to “Prohibited
- Effective date
- Immediate effect, until further orders
- Covered material
- Unsorted battery waste and scrap without lead, cadmium or mercury
- Critical minerals
- Lithium, cobalt and nickel
- Incentive scheme
- ₹1,500 crore for critical mineral recycling
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What people are saying
The export policy of waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators; spent primary cells, spent primary batteries and spent electric accumulators - Unsorted and not containing lead, cadmium or mercury (Lithium-ion Battery Black Mass)...is amended from 'Free' to 'Prohibited' with immediate effect, until further orders