Integrated Recycling Conference
This year’s Asia conference combined battery (ICBR), automotive (IARC), and electrical/electronic equipment (IERC) recycling into a single event titled the World Reuse & Recycling Forum. Since the sessions for each field ran simultaneously, the program was designed so that participants could move freely between sessions of interest.
At the Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai, the venue for the conference, about 250 stakeholders from the battery, automotive, and electrical/electronic equipment sectors gathered from 25 countries. A customary exhibition area was also set up, featuring booths from 22 companies—mainly battery-related firms from within China. Exhibitors included SKTES, Nikkelhütte Aue, BoTREE, LRT, Newell, ABR, Jerell, and Lauffer.
Nine Plant Visits Conducted
On the 10th, prior to the start of the conference, three plant tour programs were held. This year’s event featured an unusually large number of site visits: five tours were planned for the 13th after the conference concluded, and an additional one for the 14th. Sites visited included:
- Battery recycler SK Tes
- Steelmaker Baosteel
- Electronic equipment & ELV recycler Shanghai Xin Jingqiao
- Botree, known especially for LFP battery recycling
- Shredding equipment manufacturer China Recycling Newell Equipment
- Cobalt producer Huayou Cobalt
- EV manufacturer NIO (Hefei City)
- Green energy systems company Tianneng Battery
- Lithium-battery recycler Jereh
The SK Tes tour quickly filled up due to high demand. The MIRU team joined the plant tour to Shanghai Xin Jingqiao on the 10th; details is reported separately.
Zhi Sun Reports on the Current State of the Chinese Recycling Market
On the first day of the conference (Nov. 11), Steering Committee Chairman Zhi Sun opened the event with an overview of the recycling landscape in China. In 2024, China processed 7.8 million end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), 14 million tons of electronic/electrical equipment, and 300,000 tons of EV batteries.
China’s rapid adoption of EVs is striking: the domestic EV penatrating rate, only 5.9% in 2002, surged to 52% in 2024, and reached 58% by the end of October 2025. On the streets of Shanghai, the majority of taxis are EVs, and electric trucks are also a common sight.
Apple’s Susannah Calvin Takes the Stage
Among the keynote speakers, the most attention was drawn by Susannah Calvin, Apple’s Global Director of Environment, Supply Chain, and Innovation. She spoke about Apple’s sustainability strategy, touching on the company’s goals for using recycled materials in Apple products, as well as its carbon footprint and product footprint targets for 2030.
After her talk, many participants gathered around her for questions and photo sessions.
Conference Themes Centered on Batteries
In the battery sessions, topics included battery recycling technologies developed by major Chinese companies, the latest recycling machinery lines, and global battery-traceability regulations such as those in the EU. Discussions also covered digital platforms, standardization, and technologies to improve battery circularity.
The automotive sessions addressed the status of ELV recycling in China and worldwide, as well as the recycling and reuse of ELV materials from the viewpoint of green technologies and material development. There were also active discussions on the challenges in EV recycling and the importance of recycling EV batteries.
In the electrical/electronic equipment sessions, key topics included closed-loop recycling for e-waste, the development of extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems across Asia, global partnerships surrounding e-waste, and the transition toward circularity in electrical and electronic equipment.
Although the program was divided into three sectors, many automotive sessions also covered EV battery recycling technologies, and overall the majority of topics focused on Chinese companies’ technologies and current developments in battery recycling. Details of the presentations will be reported separately.
EPR and Traceability as Key Themes
The final session on the second day was a discussion on “Global Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).” EPR plays a crucial role in the recycling of batteries, automobiles, and electronic/electrical equipment, yet the development of EPR systems varies widely across countries. For example, some countries have established Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to implement EPR, while others do not. Australia, for instance, has PROs operating under its EPR system. China, however, does not yet have PROs, and although their necessity is widely debated, what form they will take remains unclear.
Representatives also commented on cost challenges:
- Chaplin, a representative of Austria’s PRO, emphasized the importance of balancing producer costs with consumer burden.
- Keli of the China Resource Recycling Association noted that discrepancies between cost burdens assigned by China’s domestic EPR scheme and actual recycling costs have posed major issues, prompting recent adjustments to the mechanism.
- The head of Belgium’s PRO commented on the complexity of EPR implementation and pointed out that PROs help significantly reduce the burden on importers by fulfilling required compliance obligations on their behalf.
Keywords such as green, traceability, and circular economic development, as well as the need for digital solutions as traceability tools, are rapidly gaining attention in China. Policies and regulations to support these needs are also being developed. Being in Shanghai, you realise that China possesses overwhelming advantages over many other countries in terms of resources, investment, technology, and human capital required for this transition.
Next Event to Be Held Again in Shanghai
The 2025 ICM Asia Conference concluded with closing remarks and a cocktail reception. It was also announced that the next Asia conference in 2026 will once again be held in Shanghai.
(Translated from the article originally published in Japanese)
