RecycLiCo CEO Discusses The Company's Upward Momentum And The Growing Demand For Lithium-ion Battery Recycling and Upcycling

RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc. AMYZF CEO Zarko Meseldzija recently spoke to HoweStreet.com about his company and how they are providing positive examples of the success of recycled material for EV batteries. The ultimate goal of RecycLiCo is to maximize the recovery of all materials within EV batteries and limit lithium-ion waste. The company is focused on creating high-purity, battery-ready materials.

To date, lithium is not conventionally recycled and many other components of lithium-ion batteries are not being recycled efficiently. RecycLiCo is working to change this and provide alternatives for carmakers to invest in. It has created a patented, closed-loop hydrometallurgical process that can capture up to 100% extraction of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese used in lithium-ion batteries and integrate the materials into the remanufacturing of new batteries.

One of the major critiques of upcycled and recycled battery materials was about the concerns over quality. Carmakers have been hesitant to invest in recycled materials if they believed they would underperform. Recent studies have put these concerns to rest and shown that recycled batteries can actually outperform new batteries; RecycLiCo is validating these claims.

Meseldzija shared that RecycLiCo is one of the few companies demonstrating how recycled batteries are the way of the future. A Korean cathode manufacturer used RecycLiCo recycled-upcycled precursor cathode active material to create battery cells. RecycLiCo’s product performed at the same level as existing commercial NMC811 precursor material. 

This was a huge development showing public validation and viable alternatives to existing battery components. 

Early this year, RecycLiCo also announced they had signed an agreement with Sonid Inc, a Korean electronics manufacturer. The agreement represents steps toward a potential commercial joint venture or technology licensing agreement. Both companies are hoping to join forces to establish a lithium-ion battery recycling facility to advance RecycLiCo’s patented technology. If successful, the partnership can help introduce more sustainable battery parts to the market and would open the door to business ventures with other car manufacturers. 

Meseldzija shared that while RecycLiCo is seeing success in the Korean market, the global market is in dire need of battery manufacturing and recycling partners because of the economic and environmental benefits that upcycled materials present. The US Department Of Energy has shared they hope to allocate $335 million in funding for lithium-ion battery recycling. 

He is hopeful the company’s bespoke model will be instrumental in pushing forward the importance of recycling and upcycling lithium-ion battery waste.

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