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.
The announcement marks a significant step towards the creation of a circular economy for battery minerals in the UK.
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.
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.
The partnership will also provide feed for Altilium’s Teesside refinery (ACT 4), the only planned 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.
“We are excited to partner with Altilium to develop a comprehensive and sustainable supply chain for EV battery recycling in the UK” said Michael Sneath, Managing Director of Enva’s Lubricants and Batteries Division. “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.”
Over the next decade, over 100 million EV batteries are expected to reach end of life globally. By creating a domestic ecosystem for recycling these 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.
For additional information:
