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Battery Recycling Recovery Claims
A public claim about battery recycling, recovery rates, recycled content or closed-loop use needs an evidence pack that matches the claim type before it is published. Regulators, customers and auditors test these claims against the recycling chain's records.
Which outputs count as recovered (black mass and other intermediates versus refined salts and metals), and how recovery rates are calculated, is covered on Recycling Efficiency & Recovery Targets.
Recovery claim types
| Claim type | Example | What must be true |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling performed | "These batteries were recycled at an approved facility." | Traceable treatment evidence and a qualified downstream partner |
| Material recovery rate | "Recovered 90% of nickel and cobalt." | Defined method, input composition basis, measured outputs and reconciliation |
| Recycled content | "Contains X% recycled cobalt." | Controlled mass balance and verified chain of custody across the supply chain |
| Closed loop | "Recovered materials were used in new batteries." | Evidence that recovered material entered battery-grade supply streams |
Claims governance: who can say what
Unsupported claims usually come from marketing, sales, sustainability and operations working to different evidence standards. These rules set one standard:
| Governance rule | What it prevents | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Claim tiers | Overstated or ambiguous language | Define tiers (basic, quantified, closed loop) with required evidence per tier |
| Approval workflow | Unauthorized public claims | Require compliance approval for quantified and closed-loop claims |
| Evidence pack per claim | Claims without proof | Link each claim to an evidence pack and its storage location |
| Retention and retrieval | Evidence lost after personnel or vendor changes | Controlled repository, retention schedule, periodic retrieval tests |
Minimum evidence pack by claim type
| Claim type | Minimum evidence | Recommended upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled at an approved facility | Certificate of treatment, chain-of-custody records, partner permit scope | Batch mapping and reconciliation register |
| Quantified recovery rate | Defined method, composition basis, yield report, material characterization | Third-party verification or audit sampling |
| Recycled content | Mass balance across the chain with controlled custody and attribution rules | Supplier attestations and traceability to refined outputs |
| Closed loop | Evidence that recovered output entered battery-grade supply streams | End-to-end attribution with contracts and downstream confirmations |
Common claim errors
- Recovery rates reported without a stated input composition basis and process boundary.
- Pooled facility averages that cannot be attributed to the claimant's shipments or chemistries.
- Generic certificates with no mass balance or attribution used to support quantified claims.
- Waste treatment evidence used for recycled-content claims, which need a separate supply chain evidence chain.
Related Coverage
- Battery Recycling Processes
- Battery Recycling Recovery Targets
- Battery Recycler Qualification
- Battery Recycling & EPR Interface
- Battery Recycling Requirements
Disclaimer. Informational guidance only. Not legal advice. Claim rules vary by jurisdiction, program, contract, and advertising law. Use this page to structure claim controls and evidence packs, then validate requirements for your markets and customers.