Material flow analysis as an approach to battery classification for effective waste management: A case study in the Czech Republic

Material flow analysis as an approach to battery classification for effective waste management: A case study in the Czech Republic

Článek WoS

The sustainable management of waste batteries remains a key challenge due to inefficiencies in current classification systems, which hinder its effective recycling, reuse, and material recovery. This study aims to address these issues by conducting a Material Flow Analysis of the battery waste streams in the Czech Republic and offer guidance for optimising the classification system by identifying the inefficiencies of current reporting system. Up-to-date data were collected from the national waste register, collective take-back systems, and mixed municipal waste analysis. The results include an overview of the main flows influencing the waste generation and Material Flow Analysis of the waste batteries, visualized using Sankey diagrams. The quantity of batteries discarded in mixed municipal waste was identified as 0.9 kt, which is a high value compared to the number of waste batteries collected in 2022 via the separate municipal sorting infrastructure (1.1 kt). The results highlight significant inefficiencies in waste battery management, particularly in addressing the batteries ending up in mixed municipal waste. This study concludes that improving battery classification can facilitate sustainable waste management, achieve more efficient material recovery, and extend battery life cycles in the Czech Republic.

The sustainable management of waste batteries remains a key challenge due to inefficiencies in current classification systems, which hinder its effective recycling, reuse, and material recovery. This study aims to address these issues by conducting a Material Flow Analysis of the battery waste streams in the Czech Republic and offer guidance for optimising the classification system by identifying the inefficiencies of current reporting system. Up-to-date data were collected from the national waste register, collective take-back systems, and mixed municipal waste analysis. The results include an overview of the main flows influencing the waste generation and Material Flow Analysis of the waste batteries, visualized using Sankey diagrams. The quantity of batteries discarded in mixed municipal waste was identified as 0.9 kt, which is a high value compared to the number of waste batteries collected in 2022 via the separate municipal sorting infrastructure (1.1 kt). The results highlight significant inefficiencies in waste battery management, particularly in addressing the batteries ending up in mixed municipal waste. This study concludes that improving battery classification can facilitate sustainable waste management, achieve more efficient material recovery, and extend battery life cycles in the Czech Republic.

Waste batteries; Material flow analysis; Classification system; Waste management; Circular economy; Waste reporting system; Recycling

Waste batteries; Material flow analysis; Classification system; Waste management; Circular economy; Waste reporting system; Recycling

KROPÁČ, J.; PÁLEŠOVÁ, L.; PLUSKAL, J.; JIA, X.; ŠOMPLÁK, R.; PAVLAS, M.; ŠYC, M.; MONCMANN, B.

01.09.2026

Elsevier BV

Energy Conversion and Management-X

31

September

Spojené království Velké Británie a Severního Irska

102028

13

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590174526005118

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/260622