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Colorado law makes automakers pay for EV battery recycling

Illustration accompanying article: Colorado law makes automakers pay for EV battery recycling
  • Colorado enacted a law this summer that forces automakers to cover the cost of recycling old EV batteries, addressing a gap in the current market where salvage yards often must pay hundreds of dollars to dispose of them.
  • Many salvage yards cannot profit from recycling EV batteries because shipping and processing costs exceed the value of recovered minerals, especially with cheaper iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries.
  • Battery recyclers charge gate fees of up to $2 per kilogram for LFP batteries, translating to hundreds of dollars per battery for salvagers before transport costs.
  • The Colorado law, co-sponsored by state Sen. Lisa Cutter, adopts a "producer responsibility" model that environmental groups and industry players both supported.
  • Battery scientist Jessica Dunn of the Union of Concerned Scientists said EV batteries are already showing up in landfills despite being illegal to dispose of there.
  • The law requires a minimum percentage of minerals to be recovered during recycling, ensuring batteries are processed properly.
 2026-07-13 · 4 MIN READ

Takeout trash piles up at Michigan universities as pandemic habits endure

Illustration accompanying article: Takeout trash piles up at Michigan universities as pandemic habits endure
  • The post-pandemic culture of takeout dining at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan has produced a stream of single-use containers that regularly bypass recycling streams and end up in trash bins.
  • Carla Iansiti, Student Life and Engagement sustainability officer at Michigan State, told the Associated Press the situation is “a nightmare” and called the proliferation of grab-and-go stations, mobile ordering and food delivery apps “a culture shift.”
  • Many students adopted grab-and-go habits when dining halls closed or restricted seating during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those behaviors persisted after normal operations resumed.
  • Universities are trying to reduce waste without disrupting student routines, a balance officials acknowledge is difficult to strike.
 2026-05-30 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Brazil to invest $75 million in Amazon highway, unveils protection plan