Battery manufacturers alert the EU that lithium proposal could hurt the EV sector

The European Union has been warned by lithium and battery manufacturers that a proposal to classify the metal as a reproductive toxin could harm Europe’s electric-vehicle industry.

The material is a critical component of electric vehicle batteries and is widely used in pharmaceuticals, industrial lubricants, and specialty glasses.

A proposal being considered by the European Commission this month would classify some lithium chemicals as reproductive and developmental toxins.

The classification of the three lithium salts as reproductive and developmental toxins may impose higher costs on buyers and reduce producer margins.

Separate efforts to increase domestic production of lithium, which the European Commission designated as a critical raw material in 2020, could be jeopardised.