Recyclus receives approval for battery recycling site

The Recyclus Group Ltd. business unit of United Kingdom-based Technology Minerals Plc says it has received approved battery treatment operator (ABTO) status from the U.K.’s Environmental Agency for its proposed lead-acid battery recycling site in Tipton, England. “The approval means that Recyclus can immediately commence manual recycling operations at its lead-acid facility,” the firms says. 

Under ABTO status, Recyclus is authorized to produce up to 15,000 metric tons per year of lead, and can store up to 300 metric tons of inbound scrap battery inventory at any one time on site. “The new authorization marks the beginning of phase one of the recycling operations, which will move to a fully automated recycling process in phase two later this year following receipt of the variation of license,” according to Recyclus.

The proposed Recyclus system processes the entire battery into separate constituent parts, designed to ensure recovery of lead, acid and plastic materials. The “hard” lead can be used in grids and terminals, the “soft” lead for battery paste, and the sulphuric acid into fertilizers.

“We are delighted to have our ABTO status confirmed by the Environmental Agency, so we can kick-start recycling operations, close deals in the pipeline, and start generating revenues from this site,” says Robin Brundle, chair of Technology Minerals. “Once fully operational, the Tipton plant positions us to become one of the leading accredited battery recyclers internationally.”

Brundle continues, “The lead-acid battery recycling industry is currently a major polluter, with over 18,000 metric tons of spent batteries incinerated or sent to landfill each year in the U.K. alone. It is vital that companies look to strip back ‘greenwashing’ and promote homegrown waste management solutions if the U.K. is to achieve its COP26 net zero targets.”

Regarding Recyclus’ plans, Brundle says, “Our operations will help to divert waste from landfill, enabling key resources to be kept in use for longer, minimizing waste and reducing the environmental impacts of spent batteries. These efforts underscore our commitment to developing a truly circular economy for battery metals that will help propel the green transition and meet the net zero 2050 targets. We look forward to reporting on our progress in the coming weeks and months.”