Share Spent batteries could be the next plastics Mon, 12 July 2021 If batteries end up in landfills, it defeats the purpose of buying electric vehicles (EV) for the sake of the environment, which is why battery recycling is getting so much attention. But establishing a circular economy for spent EV batteries is not an easy task and can’t be compared with doing so for plastic bottles. Due to their complex structures, disassembly can only be done manually, entailing high labour costs and serious safety risks. Inside an EV, battery parts fit together like Russian nesting dolls. Hundreds or thousands of cells make up a module, and a number of modules are assembled to make the battery pack.