The popularity of electric bikes has surged in recent years, with the UK market expected to experience significant growth in the coming years. However, this growth brings with it a new challenge: the safe and responsible disposal of end-of-life electric bike batteries. In response to this challenge, the UK-based Bicycle Association has announced plans to set up a nationwide electric bike battery collection and recycling service.
After conducting a thorough tender process, the Bicycle Association selected the European Recycling Platform UK (ERP UK) as its partner to develop this initiative. Although the final form of the programme has not been decided yet, a trial programme is expected to be launched shortly, with the aim of contributing to a national rollout later this year.
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Stephen Holt, the Bicycle Association Retail Trade Manager, expressed his excitement for this initiative and its potential to make it easier for retailers to safely store faulty and expired batteries in a fireproof rated drum. He stated, “With millions of electric bike sales ahead of us, we hope to provide a national network of hundreds of collection points convenient for customers.”
John Redmayne, the Managing Director of ERP UK, shared similar sentiments and emphasized the need for the sector to safely and responsibly dispose of end-of-life batteries. He said, “With growing numbers of e-bikes in use, the need for the sector to safely and responsibly deal with end of life batteries has been highlighted.”
Similar collection programmes are already running in other European markets, with e-bike manufacturers and retailers acting as collection points for the public. The benefits of such a programme are clear: simplicity at the retail level, reduced cost and complexity for bike companies, and a clear and convenient way for customers to return batteries.
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The UK’s electric bike market is poised for significant growth in the coming years, and the Bicycle Association’s initiative is a welcome development in ensuring that the environmental impact of this growth is minimized. As Holt notes, “This is an exciting initiative that will help ensure that the electric bike revolution is a sustainable one
