Livium lands state support to develop Western Australia battery recycling plant

Perth-headquartered Livium, formerly known as Lithium Australia, has announced subsidiary Envirostream has been awarded an AUD 850,000 ($561,000) grant by the WA government to establish a battery recycling facility as part of the state’s electronic waste infrastructure funding program.

“This grant from the WA government represents a meaningful step forward in our mission to establish a sustainable national battery recycling ecosystem,” Livium CEO and Managing Director Simon Linge said. “WA’s grants seek to increase e-waste [electronic waste] reuse, storage, collection, processing, and recycling capabilities, creating jobs and supporting WA’s circular economy.”

The grant will support development of a site for the collection, sorting, discharge, and temporary storage of batteries.

Products will be sorted and dismantled before being transported to Envirostream’s recycling facilities at Campbellfield, in the state of Victoria, for final processing into mixed metal dust and other recoverable metals.

Capacity

Livium said the WA facility is expected to play a pivotal role in expanding Envirostream’s capacity, expanding its collection network and supporting a broader national battery recycling strategy.

Linge said the company wants to develop a national network for battery collection, sorting, and recycling that establishes integrated end-of-life battery processing in Australia.

“The company’s long-term recycling strategy also involves the development of battery processing capabilities in WA and other states once minimum collection volumes are met,” said the CEO. “By fostering local recycling capabilities, we aim to strengthen Australia’s position in the global battery recycling industry and contribute to a circular economy.”

The grant is part of the WA government’s recently announced AUD 5.4 million in additional grants for e-waste recycling initiatives. To date, the state has allocated around AUD 10 million in awards to boost e-waste recycling.

Livium’s grant is subject to signing a funding agreement with the state government and to due diligence checks.

From pv magazine Australia.