A Compliant Recycling Route for Medical Lithium Primary Batteries

CASE STUDY

Putting Compliance into Action: Recycling Lithium Primary Batteries from Medical Devices

Cellcycle has successfully completed its first operational collection of lithium primary batteries from Ideal Medical Solutions, following the establishment of our strategic partnership last year.

The collection involved a UN-approved barrel of lithium primary batteries removed from powered surgical staplers used in hospital surgical procedures. While modest in volume, this first consignment marks the point at which a compliant recycling route for healthcare lithium primary batteries moved from concept into real-world operation, with further collections already expected.

Background

Across the UK healthcare sector, lithium primary batteries embedded within medical devices have historically been treated as part of general clinical waste. Items such as bandages, masks and surgical gloves were routinely sent for incineration or landfill, with lithium batteries often disposed of unknowingly within the same waste stream.

This practice was not driven by a lack of care, but by a lack of infrastructure. Hospitals, clinics and medical device organisations had no access to a dedicated, compliant recycling route for lithium primary batteries removed from specialist equipment such as powered surgical staplers. As a result, these batteries entered disposal pathways never designed to manage the safety, environmental and regulatory risks associated with lithium chemistry.

Today, this approach is no longer acceptable. UK legislation prohibits the incineration or landfill disposal of lithium batteries due to their hazardous nature and potential fire risk. Healthcare organisations are now required to segregate and manage lithium battery waste responsibly, yet until recently, there was no specialist solution available to support this requirement across the healthcare sector.

This gap in the system is precisely why Cellcycle was established.

Partnership with Ideal Medical Solutions

In 2025, Cellcycle entered into a strategic partnership with Ideal Medical Solutions, an organisation operating at the heart of the UK healthcare supply chain.

The partnership was formed to address a long-standing challenge faced by medical device providers and healthcare organisations: the absence of a safe, compliant and scalable route for managing lithium primary batteries removed from medical equipment.

Under this partnership, Cellcycle provides specialist services for the segregation, collection, transport and recycling of lithium primary batteries, ensuring that these materials are managed in line with UK waste, battery and dangerous goods regulations.

The Collection: Surgical Stapler Lithium Primary Batteries

The first collection under this partnership focused on lithium primary batteries removed from powered surgical staplers used during hospital operations.

These batteries are critical during surgery, delivering reliable and consistent power for tissue cutting and closure. However, once removed from service, they represent a high-risk waste stream due to their energy density, chemical composition and potential fire hazard if mishandled.

For this initial phase, Cellcycle collected one UN-approved barrel of lithium primary batteries. Although this represents an early-stage volume, it is a significant operational milestone. It confirms that a compliant, end-to-end recycling route for this waste stream is now active and functioning.

The batteries were securely segregated, packaged and transported in accordance with ADR and UK regulatory requirements, before being directed into specialist recycling processes. This ensured the batteries were handled safely, sustainably and in full compliance with current legislation.

As the partnership develops, Cellcycle and Ideal Medical Solutions expect collection volumes to increase as awareness grows and more medical devices are captured within the compliant recycling route.

Compliance and Environmental Impact

By working with Cellcycle, Ideal Medical Solutions is enabling its healthcare partners to align with UK legislation governing the disposal of lithium batteries. These regulations require lithium batteries to be segregated from general waste streams and managed through approved recycling routes rather than incineration or landfill.

Beyond compliance, this approach significantly reduces environmental and safety risks. Improper disposal of lithium primary batteries can lead to pollution, fires within waste facilities and increased risk during transport. Cellcycle’s specialist handling and recycling processes mitigate these risks while supporting material recovery and circular economy principles

Looking Ahead

The successful completion of this first collection represents a meaningful step forward for the UK healthcare sector. It demonstrates that a practical, compliant and scalable solution for lithium primary battery waste from medical devices is now operational.

While the initial consignment consisted of a single barrel, it marks the beginning of a wider rollout. Cellcycle is already preparing for further collections as volumes increase and more healthcare organisations adopt compliant disposal practices.

This project signals a shift away from legacy disposal methods and towards a safer, more sustainable future for managing lithium primary batteries in healthcare. Cellcycle remains committed to expanding this route and supporting the sector with clarity, compliance and confidence where none previously existed.