Veolia is set to build its first electric vehicle battery recycling facility in the UK with plans to process 20% of the UK’s end of life electric vehicle batteries by 2024.
Credit: Veolia
Set to be located in Minworth, in the West Midlands, the company hopes this will provide a crucial first step in expanding its treatment technology into the UK.
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Many of the materials required for battery manufacturing rely on traditional water and energy-intensive processes. It is estimated that as much as 500,000 gallons of water is required to extract one tonne of lithium using this type of mining.
The group's vice president suggests that urban mining or the use of recycled materials could reduce water consumption as well as helping cut greenhouse gas emissions from battery production by up to 50%.
The plant will initially discharge and dismantle batteries before the mechanical and chemical separation recycling processes will be completed. In addition, Veolia will utilise its global network to establish a full circular economy solution in the next five years to produce battery precursors in Europe.
The company predicts as many as 350,000 batteries could reach the end of their life cycles annually come 2040, so scaling up their processes may be crucial to battle mounting waste.
“This is an important first step on the UK’s journey to create an ethical and sustainable supply chain for batteries that will be increasingly necessary as we transition to a greener economy," said Gavin Graveson, Veolia Senior Executive Vice-President, Northern Europe Zone.
"We will not reach carbon neutrality without increasing our investment and development of new technologies and recycling opportunities. As the demand for electric vehicles increases, we will need this facility – and more like it in the U.K. – to ensure we don’t hit a resource crisis in the next decade."
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He added that alongside other projects across the globe, bringing Veolia’s expertise to the UK recognises the size of the national market and appetite to recycle locally and responsibly.
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