How to Make Money Recycling Batteries in 2023

Batteries are manufactured using various sorts of chemical elements specifically designed to meet the needs of the consumers and the device’s performance. Today we can see that the demand for these batteries has increased rapidly, and the justification for this high demand can be given by looking at the number of electronic items such as power tools, small electronic devices, and all other everyday items, whose consumption has increased and is at an all-time high. 

Every year in the United States, millions of rechargeable and single-use batteries are being bought, and once they have done with their purpose, they are either being recycled or disposed of in the trash.

• Rechargeable batteries are either removable or permanently attached to the device.
• Single-use batteries, once they stop powering the device, are disposed of. 

United States Geological Survey considers cobalt, lithium, and graphite as critical minerals, and when these are used in batteries, the value of batteries increases. The Government of the United States continuously puts effort into recycling and recovering these critical minerals to ensure their continuous availability.

There are various ways to collect old and out-of-working condition batteries and recycle them as per your needs. You can sell old car batteries for cash. You can very easily communicate to your friends and family that you collect old batteries; this way, you can stock up on the batteries available in your proximity. You can hire or buy a second-hand truck, and you can visit the nearby neighborhoods and towns to collect the batteries. Now, you can sell batteries to the nearest scrap yard, or if you have a business model in mind, you can work accordingly. 

Here’s a list of top-5 companies leading in the battery recycling business and making it more sustainable:

• Redwood Materials
• Li-Cycle
• Aceleron
• ReCell Center
• Global Battery Alliance

5 Basic Steps of The Recycling Process Are

• Collection of batteries
• Crushing the batteries into smaller pieces 
• Sorting heavy metals, plastics and treating toxic substances
• Sieving of polypropylene from metals
• Extraction of metals from their ores.

Now take a look at various types of batteries that are being used:

• Single-Use Batteries 
• Lithium Single-Use, Button-cell or Coin, Alkaline and Zinc-Carbon      
• Rechargeable Batteries 
• Small-Sealed Lead Acid, Nickel Metal Hydride, Small-Sealed Lead Acid, Lithium-Ion, and Nickel Cadmium
• Automotive Batteries
• Lead-Acid, Medium and Large-Scale Li-ion

1. Lead Acid Batteries 

Now, let us talk about the money-making part. Most of the batteries in the automobile industry are lead-acid batteries. The dead battery is now broken into tiny pieces with the help of a machine called the hammer mill, and then it is put into the vat; inside the vat, plastic floats, lead, and other minerals tend to settle down. The plastic is then dried and sent to the plastic recycling unit of the plant.

The lead and its components are then heated, and all the impurities are separated. After molding, it is ready to be sold. The remaining, Sulphuric acid can either be neutralized into water or converted into sodium sulfate and used in detergent or glass making.

2. Lithium Batteries

The shredding of these batteries is done mechanically. Submersion of the battery contents takes place in the acidic water to get ferrous and non-metals. The clean scrap is now ready to be sold to metal recyclers at a reasonable price. 

After filtering the solution, carbon is transformed into carbon cake. Some of the remaining carbon is then recycled with cobalt. These products now can be sold to various industrial houses, and you can make a reasonable sum of money. You can still transform the remaining recycled contents and alter them according to industrial demands.

3. Nickel Cadmium Batteries

Recycling is supposed to separate the plastic first to recycle Nickel Cadmium Batteries. Metals like manganese, chromium, iron, and nickel are separated mechanically, and low-temperature metals like cadmium and zinc at very high temperatures. Now, you can sell dissolved metals and plastic to various business owners.

Machines required for lead battery recycling are:

• Lead refining furnace
• Lead alloying furnace
• Plastic crusher
• Acid treatment facilities with battery cutting machines
• A Furnace with a complete pollution control setup

In the beginning, a good amount of investment is to be made into this idea to make it a profitable battery recycling business. From the total allocated budget, around 15-17% requires investment in buying new machines and their installation. Renting of space, repairs of machinery, salaries, wages, etc., also form an astonishing amount to look upon. It is not a small business, so the investment should be a bit higher by keeping all these various factors in mind. 

After thorough market research and proper analysis, one can very quickly make profits out of it. You can also find places to recycle aa batteries for cash near me easily.