National Battery Day 2025: The Importance of Batteries and Their Sustainable Cycle

National Battery Day 2025: The Importance of Batteries and Their Sustainable Cycle

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On February 18th, we celebrate National Battery Day – a date that honors Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the first battery. It’s hard to imagine a day without the power of batteries. Since its invention over two centuries ago, the battery has revolutionized daily life. From small button cells in watches to powerful lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, batteries have become an essential part of modern life.

The History of the Battery: From Volta to Today

The first functional battery, known as the voltaic pile, was developed in 1800 by Alessandro Volta. This groundbreaking invention laid the foundation for modern electricity and opened new possibilities for science and technology. Over time, batteries have been continuously improved – from early lead-acid batteries to today’s high-performance lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, laptops, and electric cars.
In recent decades, battery technology has advanced rapidly. As demand for sustainable energy grows, new innovations such as solid-state batteries promise safer, more efficient power.

Batteries also play a crucial role in renewable energy storage. Solar batteries allow households and businesses to store excess energy from solar or wind power and use it at a later point when it’s needed, ensuring a more stable and sustainable energy supply.

At the same time, today’s researchers and industries around the world are focusing on reducing the environmental impacts of batteries and improving their recycling processes, with the goal of reshaping the future of energy storage. The battery’s journey is far from over.

The Importance of Battery Recycling

As we continue to use more and more batteries, the need to ensure their proper disposal and recovery of valuable raw materials is more important than ever. Batteries contain essential materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which can be reused to support a sustainable circular economy. However, improperly disposed batteries can release harmful substances and pose environmental hazards.

Governments around the globe have introduced stricter regulations for battery recycling. In the European Union, manufacturers are now required to disclose the carbon footprint of their batteries and meet stricter recycling targets. These measures drive the development of more efficient recycling processes and help minimize the environmental impact of battery usage.

How RLG Creates Sustainable Solutions for Battery Recycling

As a leading provider of take-back solutions, RLG is committed to promoting a sustainable circular economy in the battery sector. Through programs such as Rebat, RLG offers a comprehensive network for the collection, transportation, and recycling of batteries. The goal is to recover valuable raw materials into the production cycle while minimizing environmental and safety risks.

By leveraging innovative technologies and collaborating with industry and policymakers, RLG actively contributes to making battery recycling more efficient and sustainable. This ensures the conservation of resources and reduces the environmental impact of battery use.

Conclusion: Responsible Battery Use for a Sustainable Future

National Battery Day serves as a reminder of the importance of this technology and the responsibility we bear in ensuring its sustainable use and disposal. Batteries are indispensable in modern life, but their usage must go hand in hand with effective recycling solutions. RLG is committed to driving this transition and enabling a more environmentally friendly future.

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Les Griffith - Speakers

Business Development Director
RLGA

Les Griffith is currently the Business Development Director at RLGA and is tasked with expanding the company’s data management offerings for packaging EPR in the Americas. Les has over 30 years of industry experience in Environmental Services, Extended Producer Responsibility and Reverse Distribution. Les has spent these last 30 years working with organizations to develop progressively more sustainable solutions to the management of end-of-life materials. Prior to joining RLG, Les spent eleven years at Covanta most recently serving as the Business Development Director for the Healthcare Solutions division. His group covered North and Central America and specialized in providing a suite of services to healthcare PROs, take-back services to retail pharmacy and law enforcement and environmental services to the healthcare sector and reverse distributors. Prior to Covanta Les spent 10 years at Waste Management Inc. as an Area Manager for their Healthcare Solutions group.

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Andriana Kontovrakis - Speakers

Director of Compliance Services
RLG

Andriana Kontovrakis is the Director of Compliance Services for Reverse Logistics Group’s US team.  She manages a team responsible for ensuring manufacturer and retailer customer compliance with EPR laws for electronics, batteries, packaging, household hazardous wastes, and other consumer products across the US. Along with RLG partner the Household and Commercial Products Association, she is spearheading the development of the Household Product Stewardship Alliance, a stewardship organization forming under the guidelines of Vermont’s HHW EPR law.  Prior to working with RLG, she was a Policy Analyst with the global electronics recycler Sims Lifecycle Solutions where she managed programmatic implementation and customer and supplier accounts for the US EPR compliance unit and the Deputy Director for Waste Prevention for the NYC Department of Sanitation.

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