China plans faster rollout of renewable-energy recycling rules - CCTV

China is set to expedite regulations governing the recycling and reuse of key components from renewable energy technologies such as electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, and solar equipment, according to a report by Bloomberg. The Chinese government aims to create a closed-loop system for managing waste generated by the renewable energy sector by 2030, as stated by officials from the National Development and Reform Commission.

This framework will encompass the entire process of waste recovery and reuse across the supply chain, aligning with China's circular economy strategy for the 2026-2030 timeframe. The country's rapid expansion in clean energy industries, including photovoltaic panels, wind installations, and electric vehicles, has led to a significant increase in the volume of obsolete equipment reaching the end of its useful life.

This surge necessitates formal collection, dismantling, and material recovery systems to address gaps in recycling capacity. China, already the world's largest renewable energy manufacturer and EV market, is now seeking to formalize the collection, dismantling, and material recovery of electric vehicles complete with their batteries.

The government intends to enforce strict regulations on both legitimate recycling practices and illegal recycling and dismantling activities, which can pose environmental, safety, and material diversion risks. Additionally, the authorities plan to bolster national laboratories dedicated to researching resource recycling and upgrade their dismantling capabilities for used industrial machinery, vehicles, and electronic products.

These measures are expected to benefit companies involved in battery recovery, materials processing, and specialized dismantling equipment. Manufacturers of EVs, batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels may also face increased compliance requirements under the new rules. Ultimately, a closed-loop system could help return recovered materials to manufacturing, diminishing waste and China's dependence on newly mined raw materials.