EVBatteryRecycling
Metro Collection ZoneNew South Wales, Australia

EV battery recycling in Sydney

Fleet electrification and battery stewardship scheme uptake. Collections are run from Melbourne — Victoria Collection Yard.

EV battery recycling context in Australia

Pickup SLA

48 h

Coverage radius

193 km

Packs retiring / year

10,457

Catchment estimate

Active local names

2

Fleet retirements & workshop returns

Who we collect from in Sydney

Metro zones are where vehicles live and retire: ride-hailing and delivery fleets, e-bus depots, multi-brand workshops and dealer service centres. Volumes are steady but spread across many small sites, with a wide mix of chemistries and conditions.

Metro Collection Zone EV battery collection scene
Transit Systems B-cycle partners
  • Ride-hailing and delivery fleets
  • Electric bus depots
  • Dealer and multi-brand workshops
  • Battery swap operators
Process

How a Sydney collection runs

Collection runs as a scheduled milk run across depots, dealers and workshops, so single packs never sit for weeks in unventilated storage. Fleet operators can plan retirements against telematics data and book depot collections in batches.

  1. 1

    Book the consignment

    Share pack counts, chemistry and approximate state of health. We return an indicative value split and a slotted collection window.

  2. 2

    Compliant pickup

    Class 9 certified transport with a pre-filled dangerous goods declaration, transporter authorisation and chain-of-custody sheet. Scheduled milk runs, weekly in dense areas.

  3. 3

    Grading via Melbourne, Victoria

    Every module is tested for capacity, DC resistance and impedance so value is set on measurement, not on age.

  4. 4

    Certificate issued

    A recovery certificate with achieved percentages per metal and downstream vendor disclosure, for reporting under Product Stewardship Act 2011 and state waste legislation.

Compliance

The rules in Australia

Product Stewardship Act 2011 and state waste legislation

Regulator: DCCEEW (federal) and state EPAs

Australia has no mandatory national EV battery take-back scheme yet. Small batteries are covered by the voluntary B-cycle stewardship scheme, while an industry-led stewardship approach for EV and large-format batteries is still being developed. In practice, end-of-life packs are handled under state EPA waste licensing, and the export of battery waste or black mass needs a federal permit.

  • Use a facility licensed by the relevant state EPA for storage and processing
  • Hold a federal permit under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 before exporting battery waste
  • Keep dangerous goods documentation under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code for road transport
  • Track state landfill bans on e-waste, which in several states capture batteries

Watch-out

Packs accumulating in small workshops without detection or separation is the most common safety failure in metro areas.
Packs

Packs we collect around Sydney

Common packs in the global market.

FAQ

Recycling in Sydney: common questions

Where can I recycle an EV battery in Sydney?

Retired EV packs in Sydney are collected on a 48-hour SLA across a 193 km radius and processed through Melbourne — Victoria Collection Yard. Book a pickup and the despatch desk confirms a window within one working day.

How much does EV battery recycling cost in Sydney?

Most healthy packs carry positive value rather than a cost: modules above 75% state of health settle at second-life rates and the remainder settles against contained metal. Heavily damaged packs can carry a handling charge.

Which rules apply to battery waste in Sydney?

Product Stewardship Act 2011 and state waste legislation, overseen by DCCEEW (federal) and state EPAs. Road movements follow the Australian Dangerous Goods Code, with lithium-ion batteries shipped as Class 9 under UN 3480 or UN 3481.

What kind of material do you collect in Sydney?

As a metro collection zone, Sydney mainly produces fleet retirements & workshop returns. Collections run scheduled milk runs, weekly in dense areas.

Retiring packs in Sydney?

Pickups within 48 hours across 193 km, with dangerous goods paperwork pre-filled.