Eastman is collaborating with the United States Automotive Materials Partnership LLC (USAMP) and automotive recycler PADNOS for a concept feasibility study to demonstrate a closed-loop project to recycle automotive-industry mixed plastic waste in the automotive supply chain. USAMP is a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC... Read more →
A study recently published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center assesses how best to identify at the European level an additional fifth category of batteries—those used for Light Means of Transport (LMT) such as e-bikes and similar new products—which would ensure their appropriate collection and recycling. The current 2006... Read more →
Li-Cycle Corp., the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, is partnering with Univar Solutions OnSite Services, a leader in waste management, to provide waste management solutions for lithium-ion batteries. Through the partnership, Li-Cycle and Univar Solutions customers will benefit from a waste management solution for lithium-ion battery waste across... Read more →
Li-Cycle Corp., the leading lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, and micro-mobility company Helbiz are partnering to create a safe and sustainable recycling solution for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries used in e-scooters and e-bikes. As the global shift toward electrification continues to accelerate, the popularity of micro-mobility is following suit, with... Read more →
TES, one of the world’s largest providers of sustainable technology lifecycle services, has agreed to a deal that secures the future of a 10,000 square meter (approx. 110,000 sq. feet) recycling facility in the Port Of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest seaport. The facility, strategically located adjacent to the waterways of the... Read more →
Waste tires have been used mainly for recovering energy sources; only small proportions of the carbon black contained in these tires are recycled, since mineral ash accounts for around 20% of its content. A new process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP is able to isolate almost... Read more →
Researchers working on the Faraday Institution project on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries (ReLiB) at the Universities of Leicester and Birmingham say they have solved a critical challenge in the recovery of materials used in electric vehicle batteries at the end of their life, enabling their re-use in the manufacture... Read more →
BASF will build a battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, at the site of its cathode active materials (CAM) plant. The prototype recycling plant will allow for the development of operational procedures and optimization of technology to deliver superior returns of lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese from end-of-life lithium-ion... Read more →
The BMW Group has created a closed-loop material cycle for tungsten used in drill and milling bits for industrial machinery used in producing cars; the company is collecting old drill and milling bits at its plants in Germany and Austria for recycling. The secondary tungsten obtained in this way will... Read more →
As part of the THINKTANK Industrial Resource Strategies, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have been working with Audi on the pilot project “Chemical Recycling of plastics from automotive manufacturing.” The results of the project indicated that the chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste is both technically feasible... Read more →
HOBI International Inc. (HOBI) and Retriev Technologies have entered into a collaborative partnership for the purpose of collecting and recycling large format electric vehicle (EV) batteries throughout North America. Recognizing the rapid expansion and projected growth of the EV market, the goal of this relationship will be to ensure that... Read more →
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a solvent that results in a more environmentally friendly process to recover valuable materials from used lithium-ion batteries; supports a stable domestic supply chain for new batteries; and keeps old ones out of landfills. A paper on the work is published in... Read more →
Primobius GmbH is a 50:50 joint venture company owned by Neometals Ltd., Australia, and SMS group to commercialize an environmentally friendly recycling solution for end-of-life and scrap lithium-ion battery (LiB) cells. Primobius has now signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Stelco Inc., Canada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stelco Holdings... Read more →
In January, the California Energy Commission (CEC) released a competitive solicitation (GFO-20-308) to fund applied research and development (ARD) projects that improve, scale-up, and increase the technology readiness of high-value direct recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries. Direct recycling approaches recover the functional cathode particle without decomposition into constituent elements as... Read more →
The all-new Qashqai will be Nissan’s first model built in Europe using a significant number of lightweight aluminum panels. The hood, doors and front fenders are stamped from aluminum alloy, which makes the body of the Qashqai 60 kg lighter. This improves efficiency and thereby contributes to reduced emissions. In... Read more →
Rio Tinto and InoBat, a European battery technology and manufacturing company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to accelerate the establishment of a “cradle-to-cradle” battery manufacturing and recycling value chain in Serbia. The partnership will cover the full commodity life-cycle from mining through to recycling of lithium. Rio... Read more →
Borealis, a leading supplier of polyolefin plastic materials for engineering applications in the automotive industry, announced the availability of Borcycle, its polyolefin-based solution composed of both virgin and post-consumer recyclate (PCR) for the North American automotive market. The Borcycle family of products have been conceived for interior, exterior and under-the-hood... Read more →
Washington State University researchers have developed an innovative way to convert waste polyethylene plastic to ingredients for jet fuel and other valuable products, making it easier and more cost-effective to reuse plastics. The researchers in their reaction were able to convert 90% of plastic to jet fuel and other valuable... Read more →
BASF is expanding its Seneca, South Carolina Platinum Group Metals (PGM) refining facility. The company will invest double-digit millions in capital improvements to increase refining capacity to recycle precious metals from spent catalysts such as automotive catalytic converters. Recycled metal has as much as 90% lower CO2 emissions than metal... Read more →
Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, announced an agreement with Li-Cycle to recycle up to 100% of the material scrap from battery cell manufacturing. The new recycling process will allow Ultium Cells to recycle battery materials, including cobalt, nickel, lithium, graphite, copper, manganese... Read more →
Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have discovered that Li-ion battery electrodes containing cobalt (LiCoO2) can be reused as is after being newly saturated with lithium. In comparison to traditional recycling, which typically extracts metals from crushed batteries by melting or dissolving them, the new process saves valuable raw materials,... Read more →
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new request for proposals (RFP) for up to $22.5 million for projects that support the recovery, recycling, and reuse of material waste generated by the manufacturing sector. Projects funded through this solicitation will develop technologies that reduce embodied energy and carbon emissions... Read more →
A new $2-million project at the University of Michigan aims to develop easier and more cost-effective ways to make recyclable lightweight automotive sheet metals. “The Clean Sheet Project” seeks to develop new design tools and establish best practices for material producers and carmakers with a focus on recycling from start... Read more →
Li-Cycle Corp., the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, will build its third commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility, to be located in Gilbert, Arizona, within the Phoenix metropolitan area. (Earlier post.) When complete, Li-Cycle’s “Spoke 3” facility will be capable of processing up to 10,000 tonnes of end-of-life batteries... Read more →
Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and manufacturing company, recently completed a $20-million Series B equity round with financing led by Orbia Ventures, the venture capital arm of the multinational Orbia, and participation from other investors including At One Ventures, TDK Ventures, TRUMPF Venture, Doral Energy-Tech Ventures andJaguar... Read more →
Clean Energy Ventures, a $110-million venture capital firm investing in early-stage climate tech startups, is leading the investments in two battery startups: one in the upstream (Nth Cycle) and one in the downstream (Volexion). Nth Cycle extracts cobalt, nickel and other critical battery metals from discarded batteries, e-waste and mining... Read more →
Rice University scientists and their colleagues at C-Crete Technologies have optimized a process to convert waste from rubber tires into graphene that can, in turn, be used to strengthen concrete. The research led by Rice chemist James Tour and Rouzbeh Shahsavari of C-Crete is detailed in the journal Carbon. Concrete... Read more →
To support the future of green automotive manufacturing and accelerate the UK’s transition to net-zero emission vehicles, the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has guided £9.4 million (US$13 million) in public funding to 22 feasibility studies looking to scale up the industrialization of low-carbon emission vehicle technologies. In the second round... Read more →
Groupe Renault, Veolia and Solvay are partnering to enable the circular economy of EV battery metals in Europe through closed-loop recycling. The existing Veolia and Solvay consortium, created in September 2020 (earlier post), is thus reinforced with Groupe Renault’s position and experience in circular economy and in the life cycle... Read more →
The BMW Group is preparing for a major realignment of its product range from 2025 onwards, based on the Neue Klasse (New Class). The Neue Klasse will be characterized by three key aspects: a completely redefined IT and software architecture; a new generation of high-performance electric drivetrains and batteries; and... Read more →
The University of Birmingham is working with Bentley Motors and others on a three-year research project to deliver a sustainable source of rare earth magnets for electric and hybrid vehicles. The £2.6-million (US$3.6-million) RaRE (Rare-earth Recycling for E-machines) project is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and... Read more →
Volkswagen Group Components opened the Group’s first plant for recycling electric car batteries in Salzgitter. The aim is the industrialized recovery of valuable raw materials such as lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt in a closed loop together with aluminum, copper and plastics, achieving a recycling rate of more than 90%... Read more →
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has released a new roadmap on key strategies for creating jobs and reclaiming billions in economic value from plastic, glass, paper and tires currently going into landfill. The National Circular Economy Roadmap found innovation is crucial to realizing Australia’s largest economic gains, which will come... Read more →
The 2021 Nissan Rogue is the company’s first global model built using a “closed-loop” recycling system for aluminum parts. The system helps reduce CO2 emissions compared with using parts made with primary alloys from raw materials. It also promotes the use of materials that don’t rely on newly mined resources,... Read more →
New Flyer Industries Canada ULC and New Flyer of America Inc., subsidiaries of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, announced the successful completion of a battery recycling pilot with North America’s largest lithium-ion battery recycler, Li- Cycle Corporation. (Earlier post.) Li-Cycle offers a proprietary,... Read more →
A multitude of supply, demand, cost and sustainability conditions are poised to drive a rapid expansion of the battery recycling industry, more than tripling its capacity by 2030, according to a new analysis by IHS Markit. Large waves of end-of-life batteries are set to begin this year, creating a sizeable... Read more →
The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), in partnership with The Ray, a nonprofit proving ground for sustainable transportation technologies, announced a research project to assess and compile existing research on the performance, environmental impacts and benefits of using ground tire rubber (GTR) in asphalt. The compiled research will result in... Read more →
Li-Cycle Corp., North America’s largest capacity lithium-ion battery recycling company, announced that its Spoke 2 facility at Eastman Business Park (EBP) in Rochester, New York is now fully operational. The company’s Spoke 2 will produce an intermediate mixed battery material product (“black mass”, typically a mixture of lithium, manganese, cobalt... Read more →
Royal DSM will start a strategic partnership with Neste to enable the production of high performance polymers made from sustainable feedstock. This enables DSM and its customers to reduce the carbon footprint of their own products while supporting the industry to transition to a circular economy. In the new strategic... Read more →
Global automotive Tier 1 manufacturer Motherson Group is collaborating with Israeli cleantech company UBQ Materials. The companies are joining efforts to implement the carbon-negative UBQ thermoplastic (earlier post) into auto parts manufactured by Motherson Group for the automotive industry. UBQ is a patented material converted from 100% unsorted household waste,... Read more →
A large number of components in automobiles are made from plastics; these have to meet exacting safety, heat-resistance and quality requirements. That is why, so far, only petroleum-based materials have been suitable for manufacturing plastic components in automobiles that are subjected to particularly intensive wear. Such materials are not recyclable... Read more →
Eastman and Gruppo Maip, a leading international plastics formulator and compound producer based in Turin, Italy, will partner to formulate new sustainable polymer solutions for automotive interior applications. This will enable an exclusive portfolio of formulations based on Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technology, offering a range of both bio-based and... Read more →
A team from metals research institute SWERIM in Sweden reports on a smelting reduction process to recover cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium simultaneously from spent Li-ion batteries. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Power Sources. The proposed pyrometallurgical process is believed to be economical and... Read more →
A team from Shandong University of Technology in China has proposed a new process to recycle anode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries and to reuse the graphite. The graphite and copper foil of the anode are separated by an electrochemical method: copper foil coated graphite is the negative electrode, the... Read more →
Momentum Technologies Inc., a Texas-based materials science company that is focused on extracting critical metals from electronic waste, has licensed an Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) process for recovering cobalt and other metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. Less than 5% of spent lithium-ion batteries in the United States are recycled.... Read more →
Recycling Technologies, a specialist plastic recycling technology provider; Neste, the leading provider of renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, and a forerunner in drop-in renewable and circular chemical solutions; and Unilever, the consumer goods manufacturer, will collaborate to develop further and to harness chemical recycling to recover and to reuse plastic... Read more →
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $27 million in funding for 12 projects that will support the development of advanced plastics recycling technologies and new plastics that are recyclable-by-design. As part of DOE’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, these projects will also help improve existing recycling processes that break... Read more →
While tires remain one of the most recycled products in the US, end-of-life markets are not keeping pace with the annual generation of scrap tires, according to a new report released by the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). The 2019 Scrap Tire Management Report—USTMA’s 14th—reveals that almost 76% of scrap... Read more →
Every year, Netherland-based student company TU/ecomotive produces an electric car with a team of 21 BA students from the Eindhoven University of Technology, with the aim of showing the world that a hypothetical, sustainable car of the future can be a reality today. The design of the sixth TU/ecomotive car—Luca—was... Read more →
BASF SE is investing €16 million into Pyrum Innovations AG, a technology company specialized in the pyrolysis of waste tires, headquartered in Dillingen/Saar, Germany. With the investment, BASF will support the expansion of Pyrum’s pyrolysis plant in Dillingen and the further roll out of the technology. Pyrum is currently running... Read more →