Ultium Cells has signed an agreement with Canada-based firm Li-Cycle to recycle up to 100% of the material scrap from its lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing.
Ultium, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, will recycle battery materials, including cobalt, nickel, lithium, graphite, copper, manganese and aluminum.
The new scrap recycling process will begin later this year.
Around 95% of the recovered materials can be used in the production of new batteries or for adjacent industries, say Ultium.
The battery materials will be recycled using Li-Cycle’s hydrometallurgical process.
GM’s zero-waste initiative aims to divert more than 90% of its global manufacturing waste from landfills and incineration by 2025; since 2013, GM has recycled, or reused, all returned battery packs, with most GM EVs repaired with refurbished packs.
Ultium Cells aims to mass-produce Ultium battery cells, with GM and LG Energy Solution investing $2.3 billion.
Ultium Cells’ plant in Lordstown, Ohio, will have annual capacity of more than 30GWh when completed.
