Info Sheet: The Waste Trade of Electric Vehicle Battery Scrap

This infosheet explains the growing issue of “black mass,” the hazardous byproduct created when electric vehicle (EV) batteries are shredded and treated for recycling. Black mass contains a mix of valuable but toxic materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and fluorine compounds, yet there is no standard definition or classification for it across countries. Despite its harmful components, black mass is not always regulated as hazardous waste, often due to economic or political pressures that seek to ease trade restrictions. The global trade in black mass largely flows from EV battery manufacturing hubs in China and South Korea, through processing in India and Southeast Asia, and into smelters worldwide, feeding back into new battery production. This complex, transnational chain raises major concerns for health, safety, and environmental protection.