Revolutionary Battery Recycling Method Uses Vegetable Oil for Zero Emissions
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: A new room-temperature recycling method using vegetable oil and water can efficiently extract valuable metals from used lithium-ion batteries, enabling more sustainable battery production and recycling.
📈 One key stat: With 40 million EVs and 10 billion lithium-ion powered devices worldwide, this efficient recycling breakthrough helps address a massive and growing battery waste challenge.
💬 One key quote: “This quick, simple, and inexpensive method could revolutionize how batteries are recycled at scale” explains Dr. Jake Yang, one of the leading researchers.
1️⃣ The big picture: Scientists at the University of Leicester have created an innovative way to recycle lithium-ion batteries using just vegetable oil and water. This patent-pending technology can extract valuable metals from battery waste in minutes at room temperature, compared to traditional methods that require high heat or harsh acids. The process uses ultrasound to create tiny oil droplets that separate graphite from valuable metals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt. This breakthrough matters because billions of lithium-ion batteries power our devices and electric vehicles, creating an urgent need for sustainable recycling solutions.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The new recycling process preserves the quality of recovered materials so they can be directly reused in new batteries without degradation. It eliminates the need for high-temperature furnaces or corrosive acids that generate harmful emissions. The room-temperature process significantly reduces energy use and environmental impact. This advance brings us closer to a circular economy for batteries, reducing the need for new mining while making electric vehicles and renewable energy storage more sustainable.
3️⃣ What’s next: The University of Leicester is partnering with the University of Birmingham on a pilot facility that can process tens of kilograms of battery waste per hour. This ReBlend project aims to prove the economic viability of the recycling technology at a larger scale. With continued research and industry collaboration, this method could transform battery recycling globally. Success here paves the way for widespread adoption across the growing electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors.
Read the full story here: The Brighter Side of News – Vegetable oil is the secret weapon in recycling lithium-ion batteries
