According to data released by Eletrão - Waste Management Association, in industrial batteries, the increase was around 7%. In the last year, the collection and recycling of these devices increased from 891 tons to 957 tons, according to the same source.

“Overall, Electrão sent 1,369 tons of used batteries for recycling throughout 2024, which represents an increase of 12% compared to the previous year,” the association said in a statement.

Last year, collection points grew by 21%, totalling 8,735 locations across the country, 1,523 more than the previous year.

According to Electrão, all stores that sell these products “must guarantee the return” of equipment delivered by citizens, considering that this is “an equally important channel with enormous potential, which could help to boost collection”.

“Recycling batteries is crucial to recovering critical resources such as lithium and cobalt, which are essential for the European Union’s ecological and digital transition,” Eletrão stressed, noting that currently, 90% of the refining of so-called ‘rare earths’ from which these minerals are extracted takes place in China, which makes recycling “a key strategy” to reduce external dependence and reinforce European sovereignty.

The European Union’s target is to ensure that recycling provides 25% of the critical raw materials needed, to create a more sustainable flow of essential materials.