Colorado Makes Automakers Recycle Electric Car Batteries

Colorado lawmakers are betting big on making electric vehicles even cleaner by going after what happens when their giant batteries die.

A bill introduced this week would make automakers responsible for recycling every EV battery sold in the state, either handling it themselves or partnering with specialized recyclers. The rules would kick in by August 2028, giving companies time to build the systems needed.

Here's why it matters. Building an EV battery requires tearing up huge tracts of land to mine lithium and other critical minerals, leaving behind a bigger carbon footprint than building a gas-powered car. Electric vehicles only become better for the climate after a few years of driving, which means recycling those batteries could make the entire EV revolution far greener from day one.

The timing couldn't be better for Colorado. The state briefly overtook California in late 2024 as the nation's EV leader, with nearly 211,000 plug-in vehicles now registered. That's a lot of future batteries that need somewhere safe to go.

Democratic State Senator Katie Wallace from Longmont sees the bigger picture. "Colorado is leading in electric vehicle sales, which is great for climate change, but that only matters if they can be responsibly disposed of," she said.

The Ripple Effect runs deeper than just keeping batteries out of scrapyards. By recovering materials from old batteries, automakers could stop importing critical minerals from overseas and create recycling jobs right here in Colorado. It also addresses a serious safety concern since lithium batteries can catch fire in junkyards if not handled properly.

The numbers tell an inspiring story. The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed recycling strategies in 2025 and found that proper battery recycling combined with better public transit could cut demand for newly mined lithium by nearly 50% between now and 2050. That's millions of tons of earth that could stay in the ground.

Colorado is using a proven playbook. The state recently passed similar "producer responsibility" laws for aluminum cans and paper packaging, making companies fund recycling programs instead of charging residents. Last year, Governor Jared Polis signed another law requiring retailers to recycle smaller batteries from phones and laptops.

Only New Jersey has beaten Colorado to the punch on EV batteries, passing the first law in 2024. California tried but Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed their version, wanting more market flexibility instead.

Aaron Kressig from Western Resource Advocates points out that many automakers are already building recycling programs voluntarily. "We want to make sure that we aren't allowing batteries to slip through the cracks," he said.

The three-year runway before full implementation gives companies plenty of time to adjust while ensuring Colorado's electric vehicle revolution stays as green as promised.