Ascend Elements, EcoPro Group Collaborate for Supply of Recycled Battery Materials

Massachusetts-based battery recycling company, Ascend Elements and South Korea-based battery materials company EcoPro Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the development, qualification, and integration of recycled battery materials into cathode products of EcoPro.

The official statement mentioned that EcoPro is a cathode active material (CAM) supplier to some of the largest EV battery manufacturers in North America. Ascend Elements recycles EV batteries and battery manufacturing scrap from many sources, including the SK Battery America (SKBA) facility. Ascend Elements also transforms recycled batteries and manufacturing scrap into new, sustainable cathode precursor.

Under the agreement, Ascend Elements will supply recycled battery materials to EcoPro, which will convert the material into battery-ready, high-performance CAM for its battery manufacturing clients.

Michael O'Kronley, CEO, Ascend Elements, said, "Currently, battery manufacturing scrap is the largest source of lithium-ion battery materials available for recycling. We're not only recycling this scrap material and keeping it out landfills, we're elevating the value of the material by engineering it to meet EcoPro's precise specifications."

Sangwook Park, VP for Strategic Planning, EcoPro, said, "Creating a circular economy by recycling the materials from scrap batteries is extremely important in our quest for sustainability. By closing the loop to reuse the materials for new cathode active materials production is the key component for a greener future. Partnering with Ascend Elements, beginning in 2023, for pre-treatment of upstream materials in North America is a step closer to achieving our goals."

Ascend said that by using recycled battery materials, battery manufacturers can significantly reduce the climate impact of EV battery making. Besides, cathode precursor made in the US from recycled lithium-ion batteries is considered a domestic source of battery materials under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

Ascend Elements claims that it can recover up to 98% of critical battery elements with lower carbon emissions compared to traditional cathode manufacturing methods. It will be investing up to $1 billion to build a sustainable lithium-ion battery materials’ facility in Hopkinsville, Kentucky to equip up to 250,000 electric vehicles per year.

Recently Volkswagen and Audi have also resurrected their plans for old battery packs from their fleet of EVs. The two automobile giants have sealed a deal with Redwood to recover and recycle end-of-life EV battery packs from their networks in the United States.