Batteries

Removing batteries from municipal waste has remained a persistent challenge for recycling operators for decades. Batteries frequently enter household waste streams because consumers do not dispose of them separately. Recent research indicates that a fully loaded municipal waste collection vehicle contains an average of 252 portable batteries.

Belgian company Sortbat Group and Swedish hazardous-waste specialist Nemax Miljöhantering AB have established “Sortbat Sweden, operated by Nemax”. The new company combines battery precycling services with hazardous-waste expertise for the Swedish market.

TSR Group and BASF have agreed on a cooperation to advance EV battery recycling Europe. The partnership focuses on the dismantling and discharging of end-of-life batteries and the processing of battery materials into black mass. In addition, both companies are examining further joint activities along the recycling value chain.

Sesotec GmbH and WeSort.AI GmbH are expanding their partnership to further develop AI-supported sorting technologies for the recycling industry. The focus is on increasing operational safety and improving process efficiency in waste treatment facilities.

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a self-assembling solid-state electrolyte designed to facilitate the recycling of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

Registration has opened for the 2026 editions of E-Waste World, Battery Recycling, Metal Recycling, and ITAD & Circular Electronics Expo, which will again take place as co-located events organised by Trans-World Events. The four trade fairs will be held on 17 and 18 June 2026 at Messe Frankfurt, Germany.

Cylib has completed a customer project involving the production of lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) from end-of-life NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) lithium-ion batteries. The recycled lithium carbonate has been qualified by an international battery manufacturer and is being used in the production of new electric vehicle batteries.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste recycling streams. It covers anything with a plug, power cord or battery that has been disposed of.

Electricity demand is on the rise, driven by electrification of industrial processes, data centre build outs and increasing demand from domestic users in developing countries.

Yesterday, EU Environment Ministers addressed the escalating dangers posed by lithium batteries and discussed possible EU-level responses, including the feasibility and potential benefits of introducing an EU-wide battery deposit system.

On 1 December, the company inaugurated its latest plant in Krefeld in the presence of representatives from the European Commission. Accurec reports that it is the first company in the EU capable of recovering lithium from end-of-life batteries on an industrial scale.