Norwegian battery recycler Hydrovolt has signed a cooperation agreement with the Icelandic Recycling Fund (IRF). Under this agreement, Hydrovolt will collect end-of-life batteries from electric vehicles and industrial applications in Iceland, transport them to Norway, and recycle them at its own facility in Fredrikstad. The company classifies this step as part of its Nordic strategy: no battery in the region should remain unused.

The IRF (Icelandic Recycling Fund) implements extended producer responsibility in Iceland. The principle is simple: anyone who places products such as batteries on the market is also responsible for ensuring they are properly collected and recycled at the end of their life cycle. The fund manages the applicable recycling fees in accordance with Icelandic law and distributes them accordingly. Traction batteries from electric vehicles are explicitly included.

Demand is growing. According to a press release, 17 per cent of Iceland’s passenger car fleet now consists of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. For new cars, Hydrovolt reports an electrified share of nearly 80 per cent – though this figure includes hybrids. Data from the Icelandic Automobile Club (FÍB) – as cited by Iceland Review in September 2025 – showed that around one-third of new cars were pure electric vehicles, 21 per cent were plug-in hybrids, and 24 per cent were hybrids at the time of reporting. In the future, end-of-life batteries will be recycled in Norway. “As battery volumes continue to grow, it is important that appropriate recycling solutions are in place,” said Íris Gunnarsdóttir, who is responsible for e-waste and batteries at the IRF.

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