EPA DfE Program Announces Lithium-ion Batteries and Nanotechnology Partnership

On March 4, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) Program announced a partnership led by the DfE Program and Office of Research and Development (ORD). The partnership is conducting a screening-level life-cycle assessment of currently manufactured lithium-ion battery technologies and a next generation battery component that uses single-wall carbon nanotube technology. According to the DfE Program, the partnership offers the opportunity to mitigate current and future impacts and risks by helping battery manufacturers and suppliers identify materials and/or processes associated with the greatest environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of their products, and identify areas that could benefit from increased energy efficiency.