Battery Collection Best Practices: United States Environmental Protection Agency Report to Congress

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has issued an April 2026 report to the U.S. Congress titled:

Battery Collection Bets Practices (“Report”).

EPA was mandated to produce the Report by Section 70401 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. See Public Law 117-58.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act specifically required EPA to:

… develop best practices that may be implemented by state, Tribal and local governments with respect to the collection of batteries to be recycled in a manner that, to the maximum extent practicable, is technically and economically feasible for state, Tribal and local governments; is environmentally sound and safe for waste management workers; and optimizes the value and use of material derived from recycling of batteries.

EPA states that it developed the Report using:

• Feedback gathered from organizations in virtual feedback sessions.
• A request for information.
• A virtual workshop on lithium batteries in the waste stream.
• Working sessions on battery collection.
• Information derived from EPA’s experience to support state and local governments’ efforts to soundly manage solid waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

By way of summary, EPA notes that the key barriers affecting battery collection include:

• For consumers:
  • Lack of consumer awareness and knowledge,
  • Lack of collection infrastructure or access.
  • Exacerbated challenges in communities facing logistical challenges.
• For management facilities:
  • Fire hazards and safety concerns for workers.
  • Inability to remove embedded batteries.
  • High maintenance costs.
  • Complex shipping and transportation requirements.
  • DDR batteries.

Key components of the Report include:

• Battery Recycling in the U.S. (including information on battery, types, projected demand for batteries, and current rates of battery recycling).
• Best Practices for State, Territory and Local Governments (describes current best practice for battery collection).
• Conclusions and next steps.

A copy of the Report can be found here.