Update on EA Licence for Wolverhampton Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Plant

has been provided with a Schedule 5 Notice by the Environment Agency (EA) for its variation of environmental licence application for its Lithium-ion recycling plant in Wolverhampton, West Midlands.

The Schedule 5 Notice is the final stage before a licence is determined which if successful will enable the plant to commence recycling operations. Under paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 5 of The Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016, the EA has asked Recyclus to provide clarification regarding its fire/disaster planning and minor questions around the processes of the plant.

The company is in the process of responding to the information requested, after which it expects the licence determination to be received shortly thereafter.

Once the site is fully operational, the Wolverhampton plant will be the first in the UK with the capacity to recycle lithium-ion batteries on an industrial scale and will be a key foundation of Recyclus; ambition to increase its lithium-ion battery recycling capacity from an estimated 8,300 tonnes in the first full year of operations, to circa 41,500 tonnes by 2027.

Robin Brundle, Chairman of Technology Minerals, said: 

We are pleased to have received the Schedule 5 from the EA, as it gives us a clear indication that the process of grant of licence is in its final stages. Upon receipt of the licence, for the first time, the UK will have an industrial scale recycling capability for lithium-ion batteries. Over the past few months, interest in our plant has increased significantly and we are in advanced discussions with companies and organisations from UK and across the globe. We look forward to progressing these once we have received the licence.