The development of the lithium battery recycling industry can be roughly divided into four stages: the early exploration stage (late 20th to early 21st century), the initial development stage (2000 to 2010), the rapid growth stage (2010s to 2020), and the deep integration and innovation stage (2020 to present). The Zhongwei Tongren Industrial Base in Dalong Development Zone, Guizhou Province, has made progress in lithium battery recycling technology research and development, establishing a dual-line parallel recycling system of “pre-lithium extraction + post-lithium extraction” and promoting the expansion of ternary lithium recycling capacity. This base obtained the qualification for cascade utilization and recycling from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology relatively early, and its constructed “battery dismantling—cascade utilization—comprehensive recycling and regeneration” full-process production system has formed a production chain from resource recycling to material manufacturing. China’s power battery recycling management has shifted from “encouragement and guidance” to “legalized enforcement.” On April 1, 2026, the “Interim Measures for the Management of Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries for New Energy Vehicles,” issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments, officially came into effect. The National New Energy Vehicle Power Battery Traceability Information Platform was launched on March 31, 2026, aiming to achieve full lifecycle traceability management of power batteries, including production, installation, use, operation and maintenance, retirement, and recycling. On June 26, 2026, the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held a consultative meeting on the theme of “Accelerating the Establishment of a Waste Lithium Battery Recycling and Utilization System to Improve Resource Utilization.” However, in the initial stage of the new regulations, the industry still faces challenges such as an imperfect recycling network and a low rate of standardized recycling.
In 2025, China’s comprehensive utilization of waste power batteries exceeded 400,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 32.9%. It is projected that by 2030, the annual generation of waste power batteries will exceed 1 million tons.
