The world’s demand for batteries to power electric vehicles is growing at incredible speed. What will we do with all these batteries when they die? Dr. Linda Gaines of Argonne National Laboratory joins TILclimate to explain what batteries are made of, how we obtain those materials, and how we can get them back when the batteries reach the end of their lives—along with other options to make this industry less wasteful and more productive.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e6-dealing-dead-batteries

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. 

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor

Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Madison Goldberg, Associate Producer

Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol