- Project number: F 2607
- Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
- Status: Ongoing Project
- Planned end: 2029-06-30
Description:
In line with the EU Climate Law's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation towards electromobility. As a result, attention is increasingly being paid to the recycling of electric vehicle (EV) batteries - particularly from the perspectives of sustainability, resource conservation, and occupational safety. The new EU Batteries Regulation (2023/1542) establishes binding material recovery targets to be met by 2031. During the recycling process, valuable raw materials such as cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel are recovered using various technologies.
Employees' skin or respiratory tracts may come into contact with hazardous chemical agents when this work is being carried out. A study conducted in France has shown that the occupational safety and health measures taken at EV battery recycling facilities may not satisfy safety and health requirements and should potentially be re-evaluated. An analysis of German companies' websites suggests there are similar problems in Germany as well.
The aim of the project is to quantitatively determine workers' inhalative exposure to selected hazardous substances during the recycling of lithium-based EV batteries in accordance with German Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) 402. In addition, risks from inhalation, dermal contact, and physico-chemical hazards will be evaluated using a control banding approach drawn from the Easy-to-use Workplace Control Scheme for Hazardous Substances (EMKG). The focus is on both battery components released during recycling, such as lithium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, graphite, carbon nanofibres, and various electrolytes, and substances used in the recycling process, such as hydrogen peroxide and various acids.
Based on the findings reached, we will evaluate the effectiveness of existing protective measures at EV battery recycling facilities and draw up concrete suggestions to improve them if necessary. The resulting data will be incorporated into instructions for good working practice of the kind provided for in TRGS 400, as well as EMKG control guidance sheets. These data may also serve as the basis for process and substance-specific criteria like those described in TRGS 420.