In June, BASF successfully started commercial operation of its battery recycling plant in Schwarzheide, Germany. This state-of-the-art facility represents a major step forward for BASF’s battery recycling business. It is one of the largest such commercial plants in Europe, with an annual processing capacity of up to 15,000 tons of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production waste. This amount is equivalent to around 40,000 electric vehicle batteries per year.
The start of commercial operation of this plant represents a key step for the battery industry in Europe. Battery recycling is a key factor in increasing independence from conventional raw material sources and in meeting the ambitious requirements of circular economy policies. The production of “black mass” is a key step in the battery recycling process and is based on mechanical treatment of the battery.
The “black mass” contains high amounts of essential metals used in the production of cathode active materials (CAM): lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. These valuable metals can be chemically recovered and reused in the production of new CAM, supporting circularity and reducing the carbon footprint compared to the exclusive use of conventional raw materials.
“The new battery recycling plant is further proof of our commitment to the battery materials and recycling industry, which continues to be one of the most important growth opportunities in the chemical industry and for BASF Battery Materials. It will become a key component in our offering to customers, supporting them in increasing their independence from conventional raw materials and in complying with the EU Battery Regulation,” said Dr. Daniel Schönfelder, President of the Battery Materials division at BASF.
“With the new plant, we are strengthening our position as the preferred partner in battery recycling for customers across the entire value chain in Europe.”
BASF’s offering in Europe covers all stages of the battery recycling value chain, from the collection of end-of-life batteries and production scrap, their unloading and dismantling, to the production and refining of “Black Mass” – leveraging a strong and reliable network of partners alongside BASF’s own production site.
In addition to the new battery recycling plant, BASF operates Europe’s first fully automated CAM production facility in Schwarzheide, a prototype metallurgical refinery for battery recycling and one of the largest “Black Mass” storage facilities in Europe.
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