A mountain of dead batteries is piling up. If Thailand does nothing, these seemingly innocuous yet toxic batteries will become a national crisis. Properly managed, they can fuel a new economic future.
The expansion of clean energy makes the problem even more acute. Around the world, electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS) are the future, driving the green revolution, and Thailand is racing to catch up. At the heart of it all are batteries.
But batteries don’t last forever. And when they die, they don’t just disappear. They become hazardous waste — dangerous to the environment, costly to the economy, and harmful to public health. Without a strong, sustainable system to handle them, Thailand could face a new national crisis.
This is no distant threat. It is a ticking time bomb. In the past five years between 2020-2024, more than 600,000 EVs have been registered in Thailand. With an average EV battery life of eight to 10 years, the country will face more than 38,000 tonnes of EV waste batteries by 2031. This will rise to 160,000 tonnes by 2035. By 2045, it will approach 900,000 tonnes.
The trend is accelerating. In the first eight months of this year alone, more than 180,000 passenger EVs with up to seven seats were registered, according to the Department of Land Transport. This makes 51.75% of new cars in this segment.
Imports tell the same story. In the past eight years, from 2017-2024, Thailand brought in more than 700,000 fully (CBU) and semi-assembled EVs (SKD), along with over 3,200 tonnes of parts (CKD) for local assembly.
During 2022-2024, Thailand also imported more than 1.7 million packs of lithium-ion batteries for EVs, along with over 100,000 nickel-metal hydride batteries.
These will start reaching the end of their lives after 2032. And it’s not just cars. Thailand also imports a huge number of electric bicycles, scooters, and mobile phones, all powered by batteries destined one day to be waste.
Overall, Thailand has imported over 3,900 tonnes of imported e-bikes, more than 21,000 e-scooters, and more than 120 million mobile phones.
Altogether, Thailand has spent more than 1.3 trillion baht importing batteries of all kinds. Yet the country still does not have a clear plan for what happens when these batteries reach the end of their lives.
What will happen if there are no viable measures to dispose of this toxic waste?
The risks are severe. Toxic metals and chemicals would seep into the soil and water, damaging ecosystems and human health. The economy would also suffer, as valuable raw materials would be contaminated and go to waste. The government would have to spend heavily to get rid of hazardous waste or send it to other countries for disposal.
Thailand would also remain at the mercy of volatile raw material prices, shaped by geopolitics in raw material supplies. But every coin has two sides. From a liability, battery waste could be turned into “treasure”. If properly harnessed, it could be a new economic resource for the country.
Batteries contain valuable metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese that can be processed and retrieved for use by new industries. Recycling them not only helps the environment, but it also means new jobs, stronger GDP, and a healthier circular economy.
The question now is whether Thailand will allow battery waste to grow into a crisis or turn it into an advantage that strengthens the economy and industry.
To avoid ending up with “mountains of dead batteries”, Thailand must act fast. We recommend six steps.
First, the country needs clear-cut legislation to regulate the safe storage, reuse, and recycling of all types of batteries.
Secondly, producers and importers must be held responsible for end-of-life batteries through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle in waste management instead of leaving the burden to the public.
Third is that a “battery passport” mechanism must be created to trace each battery throughout its life.
The fourth step is about more effective regulation. The government and responsible ministries must be vigilant in monitoring and regulating recycling plants, create a quality market for recycled materials, and require new batteries to contain a minimum level of recycled content.
Fifth is about better knowledge of recycling rare earth materials. The Thai government needs to invest in research and the development of technologies to inspect, sort, and recycle batteries at low cost to accommodate Thailand’s needs.
Last but not least is conducive legislation. Thailand must have updated and relevant legislation to deal with EV and electronic device batteries. The law must determine which parties are responsible for paying disposal fees.
In addition, there are many questions and challenges that the government needs to address. Socially, there must be a mechanism to persuade people to return used batteries rather than reuse or repurpose them in ways that endanger leaks and contamination. Environmentally, should Thailand build its own recycling facilities or work with neighbours on a regional basis?
And perhaps the biggest question is this: should Thailand allow the import of waste batteries to make the recycling industry more cost-effective? If the government wants to push ahead, strict rules and safeguards will be crucial to prevent Thailand from becoming a dumping ground.
The choice is obvious. Mismanaged, dead batteries will poison soil, water, and lives, draining the economy along the way. Managed wisely, they could become a new power source to electrify jobs, industry, and Thailand’s long-term competitiveness.
Green batteries sound like good news for the environment. Yet, these batteries will die. What Thailand does with them could decide whether the country will have to face a toxic legacy or will turn waste into the fuel of economic power.