The lithium batteries we deem unfit for use in electric vehicles might still contain copious amounts of usable, pure lithium we could retrieve and reuse—a potentially consistent, bountiful supply we’re just not trying hard enough to tap into, a new study suggests.

In a study published August 14 in the Journal of Environmental Management , researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia argue that tapping into the leftover lithium in used batteries could fuel a pragmatic, sustainable alternative to lithium mining . Shockingly, the lithium batteries that end up in landfills retain nearly 80% of their lithium capacity—still very much usable. Aside from the clear environmental advantage, recycling lithium batteries could also bring a wide array of socioeconomic benefits,

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