Green engineering firm Recyclus Group is set to commence operations at a new battery recycling plant in the Black Country this summer after receiving final government approval.
The business has received approved battery treatment operator status from the Environment Agency for a licence to commence full operations at its lithium-ion facility in Wolverhampton.
It will process the kind of batteries found in consumer electronic goods such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops as well power tools and electric vehicles.
The permit allows Recyclus Group a daily storage limit of around 100 tonnes and to process up to 22,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries per annum.
It is expected that 8,300 tonnes will be processed in the first year, utilising a single shift pattern of labour during the standard working week.
Applications for licence variations to operate additional shifts will be considered in due course as will the potential to increase processing capability.
Recyclus Group said the approval for the plant was a major milestone for the firm, making it the first industrial scale plant in the UK with the capability to recycle lithium-ion batteries.
Operations will commence on completion of the fire prevention systems installation which is expected shortly, followed by a plant commissioning phase due to commence in June.
Recyclus is part of the London-based listed Technology Minerals group which is aiming to create a sustainable circular economy for battery metals. Last year, it opened a new plant in Tipton to recycle lead-acid batteries such as those typically used in automotive vehicles.
Recyclus said it owned the intellectual property for both the process and the plant which is designed to process most lithium-ion battery types and it hopes to open five more lithium-ion recycling plants in due course.
Technology Minerals chairman Robin Brundle said: "We are pleased to announce that we have received final Environment Agency approval to commence full automated operations at our lithium-ion battery recycling plant in Wolverhampton.
"Given the global shift towards electrification and the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries, we believe we have a compelling first mover advantage in this burgeoning market.
"Our aim is to establish enduring partnerships with businesses and organisations, both in the UK and internationally, offering them an environmentally friendly solution for their end-of-life batteries. With feedstock stored and ready to be processed, everything is in place to ramp up operations at the facility and start generating revenues."
