Battery Recycling & Materials Recovery worked example

Battery Pack Disassembly Labor at 23% safety and handling allowance: a worked example

What does the result look like when safety and handling allowance reaches 23%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. a recycler needs to plan manual or semi-automated labor for EV pack, module, or industrial battery disassembly

The inputs for this scenario

  • Battery packs to dismantle: 48 packs (unchanged)
  • Verified disassembly rate: 1.6 packs / hr (unchanged)
  • Safety and handling allowance: 23 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 20)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Base dismantling time = battery packs to dismantle รท verified disassembly rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 36.9 hr for required pack disassembly labor, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 30 hr for base dismantling time.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 23 % for safety and handling allowance.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.6 packs / hr for verified disassembly rate.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where safety and handling allowance sits at 20% and the headline result is 36 hr, this scenario comes in 2.5% above the baseline at 36.9 hr.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when safety and handling allowance is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. The verified disassembly rate assumes a consistent pack chemistry and design; mixed intake of OEMs, glued modules, or fire-damaged packs will blow past the allowance and the result understates true labor.

Results at a glance

  • Required pack disassembly labor: 36.9 hr (headline result)
  • Base dismantling time: 30 hr
  • Safety and handling allowance: 23 %
  • Verified disassembly rate: 1.6 packs / hr

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Battery Pack Disassembly Labor calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.