PeopleForBikes and Call2Recycle announce US national ebike battery recycling scheme

[Dewey]

People for Bikes announcement

BRAIN article on the scheme "Bicycle retailers can begin enrolling in the program in February 2022 and collection sites at retailers across the U.S. and at-home collection kits will be available for battery collection in summer 2022."

Participating brands include: Alta Cycling Group; BCycle; Benno Bikes; BIKECO; Bosch eBike Systems; Breezer Bikes; Cannondale; Charge Electric Bikes; Co-op Cycles; Diamondback; Electra Bicycle Company; Fazua; Fuji Bikes; Gazelle USA; Giant Bicycles; IZip; Liv Cycling; Madsen Cycles; Marin Bikes; Momentum Bikes; Norco Bicycles; Pedego Electric Bikes; Quality Bicycle Products (QBP); Radio Flyer; Rad Power Bikes; REI Co-op; Rocky Mountain Bicycles; Santa Cruz Bicycles; Shimano North America; Specialized Bicycle Components; SUPER73; Surly Bikes; Tern North America; Trek Bicycle; Tuesday Cycles; Urban Arrow; VAAST Bicycles; Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.- Yamaha Bicycles

 

[scottsdalecommuter]

People for Bikes announcement

BRAIN article on the scheme "Bicycle retailers can begin enrolling in the program in February 2022 and collection sites at retailers across the U.S. and at-home collection kits will be available for battery collection in summer 2022."

Participating brands include: Alta Cycling Group; BCycle; Benno Bikes; BIKECO; Bosch eBike Systems; Breezer Bikes; Cannondale; Charge Electric Bikes; Co-op Cycles; Diamondback; Electra Bicycle Company; Fazua; Fuji Bikes; Gazelle USA; Giant Bicycles; IZip; Liv Cycling; Madsen Cycles; Marin Bikes; Momentum Bikes; Norco Bicycles; Pedego Electric Bikes; Quality Bicycle Products (QBP); Radio Flyer; Rad Power Bikes; REI Co-op; Rocky Mountain Bicycles; Santa Cruz Bicycles; Shimano North America; Specialized Bicycle Components; SUPER73; Surly Bikes; Tern North America; Trek Bicycle; Tuesday Cycles; Urban Arrow; VAAST Bicycles; Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.- Yamaha Bicycles

Sounds like great news and a step forward, thanks for sharing! The note about battery fires spooked me a bit but then they referenced 1 in 100k so lower risk. Battery fire is one fear that keeps me from getting a Tesla among other reasons is the overnight fire risk of being plugged in. Not sure if it’s a reasonable risk but it’s there. Cheers to safe riding today!

 

[Dewey]

Call2Recycle now have a map of the 1,500 collection sites across the US where ebike batteries can be dropped off for recycling. BRAIN report in the first 6 months of the scheme they have recycled 15,000lb of batteries.

Map link https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/?ebike=1

 

[Dewey]

BRAIN report Call2Recycle locations have collected 43,000lb of batteries for recycling since the program began in November 2021

 

[PedalUma]

@Dewey,
This is really good and highly significant, but it has limitations. One that sticks up is 'participating brands only'. I do not know the statistics but have a good feel that the majority of electric bikes sold each year are from sources such as Walmart or internet only. In other words non-participating. The program may only cover as little as 20% of bike batteries. I do not have a Walmart in my town but have four bike shops. That is not typical for a town of 55,000, most areas are not supported at all within many miles.

 

[Dewey]

@Dewey,
This is really good and highly significant, but it has limitations. One that sticks up is 'participating brands only'. I do not know the statistics but have a good feel that the majority of electric bikes sold each year are from sources such as Walmart or internet only. In other words non-participating. The program may only cover as little as 20% of bike batteries. I do not have a Walmart in my town but have four bike shops. That is not typical for a town of 55,000, most areas are not supported at all within many miles.

Retailer participation is a problem, DC has two wards East of the city with only one bike shop (Trek) between them, that just opened in Ward 8. I recommended the District of Columbia government contract with Capital Bikeshare to have their rebalancing vans collect batteries dropped off at battery lockers or bunkers that could be installed outside DC fire stations and take them to the City’s Benning Road electronics recycling facility. Residents in Wards 7 & 8 May well otherwise throw them out in the trash. That is the kind of due diligence cities introducing ebike incentives need to fill the gap in coverage.