Toronto-based Li-ion batteries recycler Li-Cycle will set up in a new plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama as its fourth commercial recycling facility in North America.
According to a statement by Li-Cycle on Sep 8, the Alabama site will initially be capable of recycling 5,000mt of scrap batteries per year and begin operations in mid-2022. This will take the company’s total annual capacity to 25,000mt.
Univar Solutions will supply scrap batteries to the company, working in collaboration with automakers like Mercedes Benz US and GM’s new Ultium platform. Li-Cycle also noted that it plans to add a second production line at this plant in the future, taking the Alabama facility’s total output to 10,000mt and Li-Cycle to an estimated 30,000mt.
The recycler noted that it had only planned three sites in North America initially, but chose to set up a fourth facility due to the increase in battery Gigafactories around the world. Li-Cycle also operates plants in Ontario and New York while its Arizona site is in advanced stages of development.