18. Insights from Battery Waste Recycling for Advancing Polymers and Composite Materials in Smart Food Packaging

The escalating global demand for sustainable materials has catalyzed substantial progress in both electronic waste recycling and food packaging technologies. While the recycling of battery waste—particularly lithium-ion batteries—has undergone notable advancement through the adoption of sophisticated recovery methodologies, including pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and direct recycling techniques, the corresponding evolution within the domain of food packaging remains comparatively nascent. This chapter investigates how materials science insights and resource recovery strategies derived from battery recycling can be leveraged to inform and advance the development of smart food packaging systems utilizing polymers and composite materials. The discussion commences with a detailed exposition of the functional and environmental performance criteria for smart packaging, emphasizing the pivotal role of polymers and hybrid composite structures. It proceeds with an in-depth analysis of contemporary battery waste recycling processes, focusing on the recovery of metals, polymeric binders, and functional fillers. Drawing on interdisciplinary parallels, the chapter elucidates conceptual and structural analogies between multilayer battery components and composite food packaging, with particular attention to material separation, purification, and reintegration techniques. Furthermore, the potential repurposing of recovered battery-derived materials—such as carbon-based nanostructures and inorganic coatings—is explored in the context of their applicability to food packaging functionalities. A comparative sustainability assessment is presented, illustrating how the principles of closed-loop battery recycling systems may guide the transition toward more circular and ecologically responsible packaging solutions. The chapter concludes by identifying critical research gaps, industrial opportunities, and regulatory considerations essential to the cross-sectoral translation of battery recycling innovations into the field of smart food packaging.