Altilium, Enva sign pact for strategic EV battery recycling partnership in UK

UK-based clean technology solutions firm Altilium has joined hands with Enva, a leading recycling and resource recovery specialist, for the collection and recycling of EV batteries in the country. 

The companies claim that the partnership brings together Enva's nationwide collection infrastructure and extensive relationships with car dealerships, along with Altilium's expertise in the recycling of old EV batteries and recovery of critical materials, including lithium. 

Under the MoU, Enva and Altilium will work together to explore several key initiatives, including the safe handling and collection of EV batteries from across the UK for recycling using Altilium's EcoCathode process. 

Using advanced hydrometallurgical recycling processes, Altilium can recover over 95 percent of the battery metals, in a format that can be directly reused in the production of new batteries, according to the company. 

The arrangement with Enva will provide significant commercial benefits to Altilium, by eliminating the need to establish its own collection infrastructure and direct relationships with multiple waste producers and automotive OEMs, it adds. 

Michael Sneath, Managing Director of Enva's Lubricants and Batteries Division, commented, "We are excited to partner with Altilium to develop a comprehensive and sustainable supply chain for EV battery recycling in the UK. Expert handling and storage of this potentially hazardous material is paramount". 

"This collaboration will solve an emerging problem for our customers, enhancing the UK's recycling capabilities and contributing to the circular economy by transforming used batteries into valuable raw materials for new batteries", he added. 

The partnership will also provide feed for Altilium's proposed Teesside refinery (ACT 4), which is claimed as the only facility in the UK refining lithium-ion waste to battery-ready Cathode Active Materials (CAM) for direct reuse in new battery production. 

The plant will have the capacity to recycle waste batteries from 150,000 EVs a year, producing 30,000 MT of CAM, enough to meet 20 percent of the expected UK demand by 2030, opines Altilium. 

Rod Savage, Altilium's Program Director for End-of-Life Batteries, added, "By leveraging Enva's collection network and our processing expertise, we aim to set a new standard in battery recycling, ensuring maximum recovery of materials and supporting the growth of the EV market in an environmentally responsible way."

By creating a domestic ecosystem for recycling batteries, Altilium and Enva are building a sustainable solution for battery disposal, ensuring that valuable resources remain in the UK supply chain and contributing to the broader goals of reducing carbon emissions.