Switzerland-based conference organizer ICM AG has issued a call for papers for the International Congress for Battery Recycling (ICBR) 2018 conference in Berlin Sept. 26-28, 2018.

The call for papers for speakers is open until Jan. 31, 2018. The organizer says it is looking for contributions on the topics of battery recycling technologies, materials supply in a circular economy, transport and safety, the Batteries Directive revision and a review of worldwide battery recycling activities.

As in previous years, the 23rd ICBR will bring together numerous experts and decision-makers from the battery recycling value chain, such as battery manufacturers, battery recyclers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from the electronics and e-mobility industry, collection schemes operators, service and transport companies, policymakers and many others, says ICM AG.

“The ICBR Steering Committee wants to build on the resounding success of the recent congress in Lisbon in September 2017,” ICM AG says. “More than 250 experts from almost 30 countries worldwide attended the ICBR 2017, a new record. Most of the delegates came from the battery recycling industry and from national collection organizations. OEMs, professional associations and consultants were also strongly represented.”

As the assessment of this year's congress shows, ICM AG says the participants confirmed their interest in new recycling technologies and future challenges for the battery industry. Safety aspects in the storage, transport and recycling of batteries continue to attract interest.

The main topics for the ICBR 2018 will be the following:

Recycling

• How to recycle batteries from e-cars, e-bikes and other e-vehicles.
• Recycling of batteries from energy storage systems of power plants.
• Collection and recycling of batteries from cordless tools and electronic devices.
• Best available recycling technologies for batteries.

Materials Supply in a Circular Economy

• Battery materials supply and demand or “when recyclers meet raw materials suppliers.”
• The role of battery recycling in a circular economy.
• Eco-design: A critical approach to battery removability?
• The e-mobility and energy storage markets: An opportunity for new battery technologies?

Transport and Safety

• Update of the transport regulations on batteries.
• Safety of lithium batteries: Risks and opportunities.
• Evolution of packaging requirements for lithium batteries.

The Batteries Directive Revision

• Update on the review process of the Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC.
• The efficiency of battery recycling: The need for a new “optimum” approach.
• The efficiency of battery collection: Considering urban mining and waste generation.
• Challenges faced by the second life of lithium batteries: performances, transport and safety, and producer responsibility.
• Impact of changes in hazardous waste regulations.

Worldwide Activity Review

• Worldwide updates on battery take-back, collection schemes and recycling.

Interested speakers are invited to send a short abstract of their key messages to the congress organizer ICM via email at info@icm.ch. The title of the presentation should be mentioned with the author’s name.