Battery recycling rules specify project requirements and material-flow reporting

Rules effective from 1 April 2026 specify project approvals, waste battery transfers and output reporting for battery processing in China. Issued jointly by MIIT and five other authorities, the interim measures govern domestic collection and resource recovery activities.

The measures cover resource recovery through dismantling, crushing, sorting and smelting. Operators must complete legally required investment approval or filing, environmental assessment, supporting environmental and safety facilities, and discharge permitting or registration.

Swapping operators, repair businesses and end-of-life vehicle dismantlers must transfer removed batteries to lawfully established processors or collection outlets established by battery or vehicle producers.

Processors have 30 days after receiving waste batteries to report codes and origin, and 30 days after dispatching processed products to report their destinations. These records feed the national traceability platform.