How To Recycle E-Bikes?

There are ample opportunities around the e-bike industry but a handful of manufacturers in the country who build quality electric bikes. The world of e-bikes revolves around cost, quality, and performance.

According to The Washington Post, 437,000 e-bikes were sold in the United States in 2020, and sales might reach more than 550,000 this year.’ E-bikes are environmentally friendly, reduce noise pollution, and are zero-emission vehicles, but batteries might cause issues.

Let’s find out a little about the ways and make e-bikes more sustainable.

The Giant e-bike Industry

E-bikes are a popular choice among today’s generation. Well, it’s a promising option for transportation with a significantly lower environmental impact.

Also, for those who don’t like cycling as physical activity, e-bikes are becoming desirable in urban environments.

The big e-bike industry is focusing on making it environment-friendly. The only downside of this industry is all the lithium-ion batteries that need to be replaced at some time. Most of the time, these batteries end up in landfills causing dramatic harm to nature, but hey, we might have a solution.

After successful e-bike battery recycling programs in Europe, the U.S has started working on it. The lack of proper infrastructure will be resolved, and most probably this year, in 2022, industry-wide e-bike battery recycling programs will be launched.

Are Electric Bikes Sustainable?

E-bikes are an amazing way to switch to comfortable rides, positively impacting the environment as e-bikes significantly reduce transportation emissions. If you compare a car and an e-bike, you will end up concluding the win of an e-bike.

Global warming is becoming a serious issue due to excessive consumption of fossil fuels, leading us to sustainable alternatives. E-bikes prove to be a promising, affordable, and portable choice for many people. With battery recycling programs at their top pitch, we can say e-bikes are sustainable.

E-bikes are designed to reduce carbon footprint and don’t produce harmful gasses into the air. Plus, it is a way to switch to a healthy lifestyle for you and the environment.

Can We Recycle e-Bikes?

E-bikes tend to be an amazing option when it comes to sustainable creation. Popularly, an e-bike runs over a lithium-ion battery which can store 150-watt hours of electricity in 1 kilogram of battery, says a tech article on How Stuff Works. These batteries are light in weight but are also a source of lithium waste production.

Did you know that lithium mining and extraction use up to 65% of that region’s clean water, which impacts the vegetation and living of the people nearby? According to Deloitte, 130 million e-bikes are expected to be sold globally between 2020 and 2023, making it the most popular battery-powered vehicle on the planet.

However, you can put your e-bikes into the recycle category. According to a report, manufacturers launched a program to recycle lithium-ion batteries to reduce battery waste.

This program will also deal with and design the proposal to address environmental issues, expired, damaged, and defective lithium-ion batteries.

Fortunately, in countries like the United States, you can find the disposal rules and laws to work it out. E-bikes batteries can be dropped onto the nearest registered person and prevent them from ending up in landfills.

How to Recycle e-Bikes?

E-bikes are an important tool in the fight against issues like global warming and climate change. E-Bikes run at least 20 to 30 miles on a single full charge. Mid-range and top-end e-bikes offer approximately 50-70 miles and 100 miles, respectively. However, with upgraded technology and advanced AI, e-bikes have faster-charging benefits.

E-bikes run on batteries which end up in landfills, mostly. This trash is dangerous, and disposal is challenging. Also, what is mankind if we don’t fight back against ecosystem mistreatment?

Steps & Ways

Lithium was invented in 1985 and commercialized in 1991, but the toxicity was not much. In November 2021, a recycling program was launched To prevent batteries from becoming trash.

This program will focus on and make collection sites for damaged and defective e-bike batteries. This will help to overcome the tsunami of dead batteries and ensure safe processing.

First things first, retailers can begin enrolling in the program from February and become collection sites. You can enroll in Call2Recycle and PeopleforBikes; it’s optional. This program will carry the objectives of environmental safety, proper battery disposal, and more sustainable equipment.

Industries and manufacturers are coming together to ensure high-quality batteries, low risk, and replace the cheap batteries to inhibit fire hazards.

Battery Recycling Programs

Call2Recycle Program

This non-profit committee collects and supplies the batteries to recycling processing units. The collection sites will have trained staff to ensure safe handling and packaging.

The appointed person will look after identification, collection, storage, packaging, and safe transportation of defective or expired batteries.

The Call2Recycle program will include a complimentary safety kit of fire-resistant cabinets.

Also, these programs will focus on networking with people to create awareness on battery life, quality product, and safety materials. Ecological reasons and climate changes force people to think about slow yet significant changes in their surroundings.

E-bikes and Environment

The environment is affected worldwide due to chemical practices, dangerous mining, and the burning of fossil fuels. This is leading to severe problems causing circumstances.

This is the time when minimal effects count and a combined approach from the government, as well as citizens, are needed. E-bikes preserve the environment in many ways. Transportation can be a way to care for the environment and explore sustainable options to enjoy riding on trails.

Benefits of E-bike

· Zero noise pollution with e-bikes helps decrease a major aspect of suffering from our daily lives.

· High-quality batteries run longer on a single charge with adequate speed. They work for longer times, and there is no need to replace them in shorter durations.

· It reduces carbon footprint effectively, making a promising alternative option to go sustainable. As renewable energy options are growing in the U.S e-bikes, turn out to be accessible and affordable.

· Encourage green lifestyle and eco-friendly travel experiences. E-bikes are quieter and greener transportation options to enjoy freedom healthily.

· E-bikes don’t release any form of carbon emission, unlike cars, trucks, and bikes. They promote clean energy and prevent at least 500 pounds of carbon emissions.

· They reduce the damage and traffic on roadways, easy maintenance, and lower cost of utilization.

Carbon Footprint Theory

We are daily looking forward to working on our research and development department to find ways to reduce carbon footprint. However, daily actions in our lives affect and produce carbon emissions.

Greenhouse gasses and climate change have been major reasons for people to think of better and eco-friendly options. However, improvisation in designs and advancement of technology is getting fast charging and long-lasting batteries.

E-bikes don’t use fossil fuels or any other non-renewable energy resources, which positively impacts the environment. This makes an eco-friendly approach with no dangerous gas, smoke, or chemicals.

According to a study by the European Cyclists Federation, the average e-bike requires about 10% of the energy needed to operate a standard car.

Community Approach: Why do we need it?

According to a study, analysts estimate that more than 12 million e-bikes will be sold in the U.S. in this decade. This might help to reduce carbon emissions from 15% to 12%. However, under inappropriate disposal, the batteries are hazardous as they contain nickel, cobalt, and lithium.

The U.S., e-bike recycling program is a community approach to deal with this issue. Apart from the fact that e-bikes offer various benefits, expired, damaged, and defective batteries are dangerous for the environment.

Industrialists launched the first e-bike battery recycling program under the names PeopleForBikes and Call2Recycle. Battery recycling programs still need to be on the top pitch to educate people and create awareness. Although a lot needs to be done, these approaches fit for the first step towards saving the planet.

E-bikes are helpful for a healthy lifestyle and sustainable future. With e-bikes, you can fight environmental issues on your level.

Conclusion

It can never be one person sitting behind a desk, making rules, and signing off. It takes a lot of motivated crowds to save the planet, loves the planet, and nourish it. Renewable resources are our opportunity to use alternative resources to switch to a green lifestyle.

Nothing stops at this minute, but minimal efforts count too. E-bikes can play a positive role only if they are charged from electricity generated from solar or other renewable sources.

E-bikes will have a long life if you choose to use a good quality battery and maintenance. The battery needs proper disposal whenever it gets out of life, and manufacturers have their standard operating procedures.

E-bikes are one of the best affordable and portable forms of transportation. They are designed to minimize greenhouse gasses, and with their benefits, you are ready to hit the roads without worries.