Colorado has become the first state in the country support EV battery recycling.
Gov. Jared Polish signed legislation that is considered a first-in-the-nation bill to require automakers to create a program to process unwanted batteries. It also bans landfills from accepting the devices started in October 2028.
“Colorado is a national leader in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, reaching nearly a third of vehicles
sold at the end of last year,” said the governor in a statement. ” EVs are an important tool in improving air quality and saving Coloradans money. Like most vehicles on the road, the current fleet of EVs will remain on the road for years to come. This law aims to ensure that when these vehicles reach the end of their
life, the propulsion batteries inside are safely and responsibly managed. At the same time, it is
imperative that we not harm EV adoption or affordability in Colorado.”
According to Colorado Public Radio, the new law marks the first time any U.S. state set specific targets to recover the critical miners from EV batteries. The new law passed with the support of environmental groups and it had the support of automakers as well as auto recyclers.
Since Colorado has some of the country’s highest EV adoption rates, it also means it is one state guaranteed to have more electric vehicles to salvage lots. Nearly 200,000 plug-in vehicles are on the roads and highways in Colorado, according to a dashboard maintained by the Colorado Energy Office.
One auto salvage operator based in Commerce City, Colorado is concerned the number of EV’s being towed into his auto parts lot could become a big headache. The cars brought to Norman Wright’s Stadium Auto Parts lot are stripped of any usable parts and part of the effort includes the removal of batteries from EVs and hybrids.
“You have got to do something with these batteries,” Wright said. “If they can’t be reused or remanufactured, it ends up here. And what do we do with it?”
It’s why he supported the legislation.
