Equity-centred social life cycle assessment of lithium-ion battery recycling

The rapid growth of electric vehicles is accelerating demand for lithium-ion battery recycling, yet most assessments overlook the social equity implications of facility siting and technology choice. This study developed a social life cycle assessment (s-LCA) framework integrating a Community Health Burden Index (CHBI) with multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to evaluate end-of-life recycling options. The system boundary encompassed collection, transportation, mechanical pretreatment, and recycling via pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes. Emissions were modelled using AERMOD, incorporating census-tract demographic and health data, while CHBI considered pollutant toxicity, exposure intensity, and socioeconomic vulnerability. Results show that hydrometallurgy with the best available emission controls reduced CHBI by 42% compared to baseline pyrometallurgy, while equity-weighted MCDA scenarios lowered burdens by up to 55%, with cost increases of less than 7%. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated consistent rankings, with uncertainty margins below ±10% for emissions factors and ±8% for vulnerability weights. These findings suggest that incorporating equity metrics into recycling planning facilitates “no-regrets” siting decisions, thereby advancing both environmental justice and circular-economy objectives.