Canadian Battery Recycling Plant Opens

An alkaline battery recycling plant run by Toxco Inc. is now open in Trail, British Columbia, Canada. The recycling process in the plant uses established technology to reintroduce the recycled materials into the manufacture of downstream metals, according to Toxco, based in Anaheim, Calif

Alkaline batteries now account for 80 percent of the household battery market, with annual production of over 10 billion cells worldwide. Most of those cells are disposed of in landfills, representing hundreds of millions of pounds of solid waste.

“The implementation of this technology is extremely important to the environment, and is consistent with Toxco’s long-term strategy of complete battery management,” says Steve Kinsbursky, president of the Toxco Waste Management division.

“Recovery of useable materials from alkaline batteries is the way of the future,” adds Kinsbursky. “Our next step is to educate companies and consumers about the environmental value associated with alkaline battery recycling,” he comments.

Toxco, formerly known as Kinsbursky Brothers Inc., is active on several battery technology fronts. It recently acquired Moltech Corporation’s patented cadmium recovery facility and equipment for recycling nickel cadmium batteries in Gainesville, Fla.

Ozark Fluorine Specialties, a division of Toxco in Tulsa, Okla., will soon be in full production of lithium salts and electrolytes used in the manufacture of lithium batteries and ultra capacitors.