With lithium ion batteries expected to play an ever increasing role in future transportation, the problem of dealing with the batteries at end of life is now starting to come to the fore. Multiple battery companies are planning on building manufacturing facilities in the U.S. in the next few years, and some of these will also be able to recycle the packs at the end of their useful automotive life. The batteries' bulk means it won't make sense to ship them overseas for recycling.
California-based Toxco is already in the business of recovering materials from lead acid and nickel metal hydride batteries at a plant in Lancaster, Ohio. Toxco also has the only lithium battery recycling facility in North America in Trail, British Columbia. Toxco was the recipient of a $9.5 million grant from the Department of Energy as part of the recent announcements of grants for battery manufacturing. The BC plant already has the capability to handle different lithium chemistries and Toxco will be expanding the Ohio facility to add to the capacity for lithium recycling. Find the press release after the jump.
[Source: Toxco]
PRESS RELEASE:
Toxco Inc. is Awarded 9.5 Million from DOE to Support U.S. Lithium Battery Recycling
August 11, 2009
Anaheim, California – TOXCO Inc., is pleased to announce that it has been awarded 9.5 million dollars from the Department of Energy to expand their current battery recycling operations in Lancaster, Ohio. Toxco plans to build and operate an advanced lithium battery recycling facility at their existing Lancaster, Ohio site. The new plant will be built to support the battery recycling infrastructure that will be needed with the growth of hybrid and electric vehicles in the United States all of which use large format rechargeable batteries. "Toxco is excited to have been chosen by the Department of Energy" says Todd Coy, Executive Vice President of Kinsbursky Brothers, Inc., Toxco's parent company. "As the U.S. hybrid vehicle market continues to grow, Toxco will provide end of life management and recycling of these advanced batteries in a safe and environmentally sound manner."
"This new plant will bring in more employment for the Lancaster area, as well as allow us to continue to recover renewable resources, such as Nickel and Cobalt, for use in the manufacturing of new batteries for the U.S. market." says Ed Green, VP of Ohio operations for Toxco. Green continued, "The new plant represents growth for our group of companies" and noted "Toxco's Trail, BC facility will continue to provide lithium battery recycling services to their existing customers; this plant will focus on the emerging battery market."
Toxco is currently the only facility in North America with the capability to recycle both primary and secondary lithium batteries. Toxco's existing lithium battery recycling operation is located in Trail, British Columbia. Additionally, Toxco manages two battery recycling operations in Ohio. The Lancaster, Ohio facility currently processes large format lead acid batteries, as well as nickel metal hydride batteries used in the current population of hybrid and electric vehicles. This facility is also only one of two technologies in North America that can recycle nickel cadmium batteries, which is a common consumer type of rechargeable battery. The recovery process used in Lancaster for the nickel cadmium batteries is deemed to be a "Best Demonstrated Available Technology" per US EPA.
For additional information about Toxco or to learn more about battery recycling please go to:
http://www.toxco.com or http://www.biggreenbox.com
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