Machinery that relies on electric motors surrounds you all the time. Electric motors’ impact ranges from hair dryers to industrial conveyor systems, and their prevalence cannot be understated. That’s why electric motor recycling is urgently necessary to normalize, making recovery of the metal the consistent last step in a motor’s useful life.

Otherwise, many corporations and shoppers contribute to the growing environmental issue of mechanical and electronic waste. Taking action will preserve nature and protect soil, waterways and the air. What should everyone know about electric motor recycling?

Why Should You Recycle Electric Motors?

Many manufacturers make these products with metals like copper, steel and aluminum. Most metals are infinitely recyclable at the end of their life cycle, making tossed motors a valuable corporate resource. Salvaging these minimizes the amount of virgin materials corporations need to mine.

The constant demand for nonrenewable resources strips habitats and harms biodiversity. For example, EVs require batteries to power the motors. Metal overextraction is a common concern when determining the environmental footprint of electric cars. Recycling old models could dissolve the debates and get more of these metals back into use. How much more metal and critical minerals could be recovered?

• 60% of cobalt
• 57% of manganese
• 53% of lithium
• 53% of nickel

Recycling can also alleviate supply chain burdens. China has 36% of the planet’s rare-earth metals and produces 90% of global capacity. This monopoly strains companies internationally if reserves become scarce. Repurposing your motors allows organizations to stay in business because they can rely on diverse supply sources.

How to Identify Recyclable Electric Motors

How can you know if your motor is recyclable? Check with the manufacturer and related manuals, which often list the motor’s components. Visual inspections also suffice, but oversights are always possible.

You’ll want to pay attention to any coatings or adhesives melded or attached to the motor. Some curing and application processes make materials inseparable, even if recyclable metals are underneath.

Every metal is worth identifying for repurposing, even if the motor is small. The smallest amounts could still have countless applications, including but not limited to making:

• Jewelry
• Wires and cables
• Renewable energy technologies
• Plumbing components
• Art

Students from the Technical University of Eindhoven made an entire EV from recycled metals in 2020. Everything down to the batteries was salvaged, proving how much longevity components have.

The implications of experiments like these could help decarbonize environmentally destructive industries like manufacturing or construction. The latter accounts for 50% of the climate crisis because of the massive impact of infrastructure and electronics. In fact, construction and demolition projects generate approximately 569 million tons of waste every year.

Both manufacturing and construction rely on diesel-powered heavy machinery, yet electrified equipment is viable. Many have dense-enough batteries to where they could stay powered for entire shifts, and extending their life cycles is easy when there’s a never-ending supply of upcycled metals to repair and reinforce them.

Steps to Recycle Electric Motors

You now know how vital it is to give electric motors a new life through recycling. Rare-earth elements are infrequently repurposed, with only 3% of light and 8% of heavy recycled globally. How do you get started?

1. Gather and Prepare Your Old Motors

Locate any defunct or faulty machines in your house. Consider sourcing from neighbors as well. If you don’t know if an item has a motor installed, review instruction manuals or contact the product manufacturer to learn more. Before working with them, be sure they don’t have batteries or access to electricity.

2. Disassemble and Remove Nonmetal Components

Wear safety equipment and take apart as much as you can. Many recyclers struggle to disassemble complexly designed products, so you’re helping by starting the process. Remove anything nonmetal, including plastic casings — these hinder recycling efficiency.

3. Find a Recycling Avenue

Many cities have scrap yards and facilities available to the public. Start your search by adding your ZIP Code in this Earth911 Recycling Locator search. It’s important to call ahead to asks about the rules at each location. Some are part of municipal recycling programs but they can also be privately owned. Research your city, and there will be clear guidelines for handling motors. Areas like Warren in Utah and Pittsburgh in southern Pennsylvania detail what they can and cannot process.

Repair cafés are one of the more modern, creative solutions. Instead of recycling the motor, you could connect with an expert to repair or upcycle it for free. The town of Riverview, California, hosted a repair café as part of its Harvest Fest and specifically listed electric motors as an eligible item. RepairVerse is another organization making strides in Canada by hosting volunteer-based events to fix electronics and appliances.

Many private companies will recycle motors for you. Cyclic is one of them, and it uses water-based recycling technologies called hydrometallurgy to lower its carbon footprint. Even though it uses tons of water for its processes, recycling still cuts consumption compared to mining operations.

Bentley Motors is another example. It has performed a three-year research study to find the best ways to recycle electric motors, and its efforts will produce rare-earth magnets forged from reclaimed metals. The research could advance EV designs, making their drivetrains more powerful and eco-friendly than ever.

4. Transport the Motor Safely After Checking Guidelines

Before you ship or travel with your motors, read the regulations first. Cities will clarify the materials they accept and what condition the motor must be in to be eligible.

For example, York, Pennsylvania, specifically states it does not accept motors. Meanwhile, Elkins, West Virginia, has a long list of eligible car parts for recycling. For anyone hesitant to transport them, some places offer pickup services.

Electric motors fill your home and every sector in your community, but typical disposal habits would send these machines to landfills. Instead, households and corporations must capitalize on their recycling potential. Recapturing the metals and other components is possible, potentially indefinitely. It could save habitats from destruction, promote a circular economy and preserve wildlife.

Share the word about local programs that electric motors with your neighbors and use social media to ask for new services if they are not accepted. Your action can make people more inclined to speak to officials and vote for expanding infrastructure.