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New energy & batteries

How much recycled material must a battery contain under EU rules — and what is China's path to it?

Topic · data as_of 2026-10-13 · six topics, 2,415 records total

36 recordsstructured records in this topic
A-grade 97.2%confidence A share (35/36)
2026-10-12data updated (data.json exported_at)

Key figures

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from 2031-08-18from 2036-08-180%20%40%60%80%100%1626Cobalt Co612Lithium Li615Nickel Ni8585Lead Pb
EU battery recycled content: a two-stage staircase
Figures come straight from the legal text (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, Art. 8(2)/8(3)): phase 1 (2031) cobalt 16% / lead 85% / lithium 6% / nickel 6%; phase 2 (2036) cobalt 26% / lead 85% / lithium 12% / nickel 15%. Secondary sources often misstate these — the regulation is the reference.
Source: European Commission DG ENV · Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 · Trustbase Lab tbm-068 / tbm-069 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-battery · trustbaselab.com/en/energy/
by end-2027by end-20310%22%44%66%88%110%9095Co / Cu / Pb / Ni5080Li
Material recovery targets: two lines, 2027 and 2031
Figures come from the record titles: 90% for cobalt/copper/lead/nickel and 50% for lithium by end-2027; 95% and 80% by end-2031. Note 'recovery efficiency' (lead-acid 75%→80%, lithium 65%→70%) is a separate indicator and is not charted here.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 · Trustbase Lab tbm-072 / tbm-073 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-energy-recycling · trustbaselab.com/en/energy/
Batteries Regulation in force · 2023 · tbm-058Batteries Regulation in fo…2023 · tbm-058General application · 2024 · tbm-063General application2024 · tbm-063Safety requirements apply · tbm-064Safety requirements applytbm-064Carbon footprint declaration · 2025 · tbm-076Carbon footprint declarati…2025 · tbm-076Black mass import rules · tbm-088Black mass import rulestbm-088EPR applies · tbm-065EPR appliestbm-065China recycling measures · 2026 · tbm-080China recycling measures2026 · tbm-080China traceability platform · tbm-081China traceability platformtbm-081Digital battery passport · 2027 · tbm-067Digital battery passport2027 · tbm-067Recovery targets 2027 · tbm-072Recovery targets 2027tbm-072Collection targets 2027 · tbm-074Collection targets 2027tbm-074Recycled content phase 1 · 2031 · tbm-068Recycled content phase 12031 · tbm-068
Battery and recycling rules: the decisive dates
Twelve milestones across the EU and China — from the Batteries Regulation entering into force (2023) to recycled content phase 2 (2036). Conditional effective dates enter by their published date; the regulation is not second-guessed.
Source: Trustbase Lab domain_benchmarks (type=energy) · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-energy-regs · trustbaselab.com/en/energy/
Dark blue = EU path (product rules) · light blue = China path (recycling system)2023-08-17 · EU Batteries Regulation in forceRegulation (EU) 2023/15422027-02-18 · Digital battery passportmandatory + Annex XIII content spec2031-08-18 · Recycled content phase 1Co 16% / Li 6% / Ni 6% / Pb 85%2026-04-01 · China six-department rule No. 73recycling of end-of-life EV batteries2026-04-01 · Traceability platform + digital IDnational NEV battery traceability system2030 · End-of-life battery volumeprojected to exceed 1 million tonnes/yr
One supply chain, two regulatory paths: EU and China
The EU regulates the product (recycled content, passport, carbon footprint), China regulates the recycling system (traceability, scrapping, comprehensive utilisation). Both are real; they constrain different segments — which is why a number from one route does not substitute for the other.
Source: Trustbase Lab domain_benchmarks (type=energy, tbm-058 ~ tbm-093) · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-energy-cn-eu · trustbaselab.com/en/energy/

Questions practitioners ask

Six real questions; every answer lands on specific records.

By which year must lithium recovery reach 50%?

By end-2027 lithium reaches 50%, rising to 80% by end-2031 (material recovery rates, tbm-072/073).

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What are the phase-1 recycled content minimums?

From 2031-08-18: cobalt 16% / lead 85% / lithium 6% / nickel 6% (tbm-068).

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When does China's EV battery recycling rule take effect?

Six-department rule No. 73, effective 2026-04-01 (tbm-080).

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What is the digital battery passport, and when is it required?

Mandatory from 2027-02-18; content specification in Annex XIII (tbm-067/093).

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When does the carbon footprint declaration take effect?

For EV batteries conditionally from 2025-02-18 (the later of the two dates, tbm-076).

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What changed after black mass imports were opened up?

Black mass gained import-rule status in 2025-06, but no public import series exists — see the honest boundary in the chart.

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Key numbers

All drawn from structured records; basis in parentheses.

36records in this topic
16%→26%cobalt recycled content (2031→2036)
6%→12%lithium recycled content (2031→2036)
85%lead recycled content (both phases)
50%→80%lithium material recovery (2027→2031)
400 kt2025 comprehensive utilisation (+32.9%)
148designated recycling enterprises
2027-02-18digital battery passport mandatory

Records

Record IDNameJurisdictionIssuerEffectiveConfidence
tbm-058EU Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation (RegulatioEUEU Council and European Parlia2023-08-17A
tbm-059Amendment to the Batteries Regulation (Regulation (EU)EUEU Council and European Parlia2025A
tbm-060EU Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/12EUEU Council and European Parlia2024-05-23A
tbm-061EU Net-Zero Industry Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1735)EUEU Council and European Parlia2024-06-29A
tbm-062Batteries Regulation enters into force (2023-08-17)EUEU2023-08-17A
tbm-063General date of application of the Batteries RegulatioEUEU2024-02-18A
tbm-064Safety requirements and conformity assessment apply (2EUEU2024-08-18A
tbm-065Extended producer responsibility applies and the old BEUEU2025-08-18A
tbm-066Labelling and capacity marking requirements apply (202EUEU2026-08-18A
tbm-067Digital battery passport becomes mandatory (2027-02-18EUEU2027-02-18A
tbm-068Recycled content minimums, phase 1 (2031-08-18): cobalEUEU2031-08-18A
tbm-069Recycled content minimums, phase 2 (2036-08-18): cobalEUEU2036-08-18A

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Trustbase Lab, New energy & batteries (English site, batch E), records tbm-058 … tbm-093 (36 records), as_of 2026-10-13
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Trustbase Lab, EU Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542), record ID tbm-058, as_of 2026-10-08, confidence A, source: EU Council and European Parliament
EU Council and European Parliament · Legal basis · In force
Record level
Trustbase Lab, Amendment to the Batteries Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/1561) - due diligence deferred to 2027-08-18, record ID tbm-059, as_of 2026-10-08, confidence A, source: EU Council and European Parliament
EU Council and European Parliament · Policy amendment · In force
Record level
Trustbase Lab, EU Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) - 25% of strategic raw materials from recycling by 2030, record ID tbm-060, as_of 2026-10-08, confidence A, source: EU Council and European Parliament
EU Council and European Parliament · Legal basis · In force
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