Battery recycling in Europe is gathering momentum, with the region witnessing a significant increase in recycling capacities for lithium-ion batteries.

An excellent article from the Fraunhofer Institute highlights the rapid expansion and the emergence of new recycling plants across Europe, including the Altilium ACT 4 site in Teesside, processing over 50,000 MT of black mass into valuable battery metal salts, P-CAM, and CAM, making it one of the largest projects in the region.

The article underscores the crucial role battery recycling will play in Europe’s future, with ongoing expansion projects and new plant announcements. The strategic location of these recycling infrastructures is often close to battery material producers, cell manufacturers, or automotive companies. A noticeable concentration of recycling sites is found in Central Europe, but Eastern Europe is also seeing growth, including the Altilium ACT 3 integrated recycling project for mine tailings and black mass.

Home grown companies currently dominates the battery recycling landscape within the EU and UK, though competition from Asian players is intensifying. European and UK firms have maintained a competitive edge through new facilities and plant expansions.

As of 2023, around 40 percent of spoke capacities in Europe are operated by Asian and American companies, up from 30 percent previously. Many of these plants are being developed from pilot projects or smaller facilities, aligning with Altilium’s expansion approach and scale up.

The development of EV battery recycling plants is progressing dynamically, with significant growth expected in both capacity and the number of facilities. As the volume of scrap returned for recycling increases, the European region is anticipated to reach close alignment between recycling capacity and actual treatment needs.

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