Australian battery sorter Ecobatt invests in 30,000 tpa pre-processing plant

Ecobatt, as subsidiary to the Ecocycle group will invest $AUS 30M ($19.5M) in a 30,000 tpa pre-processing plant from URT. The investment means that Ecobatt integrates one step forward adding capabilities to process the batteries the company is collecting. It also marks a signficant addition to Australian pre-processing capacity.

Ecobatt has been collecting all kinds of batteries for decades and operate a collection program for portable batteries with over 5,000 drop off locations in Australia. The company, with its main facility in Melbourne, Victoria, has also received EV batteries and lithium-ion batteries from energy storage, something that is expected to increase in Austriala after a slow start especially in e-mobility. The company also has a long tradition in investing in advanced technology. The system from URT has gained a strong foothold in the Western market with deliveries to companies like Ascend Elements, Stena Recycling and Elemental Holding. The system which shreds batteries in an inert atmosphere use a special technology for vacuum drying for the removal of electrolyte and comes with a dedicated off gas collection system.

In Australia the only pre-processing capacity today is operated by Envirostream in Melbourne which is part of Lithium Australia. The company has a capacity of 3,000 tonnes with Sungeel Hitech in South Korea as downstream partner. SK TES is setting up a 2,000 tonnes per year facility New South Wales.