Tozero delivers first batch of recycled lithium

Munich-based startup Tozero, which specialises in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries, has started delivering recycled lithium to its first commercial customers. The material comes from the company's own pilot plant in Karlsfeld.

Tozero put its hydrometallurgical pilot plant near Munich into operation last year. The process used there is a proprietary development of the start-up. This “state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical process” is designed to maximise the recovery of materials such as lithium from the cathode and graphite from the anode – “exceeding European Commission’s recycling targets well above 80% recovery rate today already, significantly higher than traditional recycling methods”, according to the company.

As Tozero has now announced, the first recycled lithium has already been delivered to European customers this March – although the startup is not naming any names. Instead, it emphasises that these materials, when reintroduced into the battery supply chain, have a carbon footprint up to 70 per cent lower than conventional lithium mining and processing techniques. With commercial shipments underway, Tozero expects to produce hundreds of tonnes of recycled lithium by 2026.

“Our lithium is not just recycled; it’s truly beautiful,” comments Sachin Samarakone, a Tozero team member. “It’s a testament to the purity and effectiveness of our recycling process, making it a highly sought-after critical materia for diverse industries in Europe.”

“Our mission is to truly bring lithium-ion battery waste to zero and each tonne of recycled lithium represents a significant step towards reducing our ecological footprint and achieving a net-zero future,” added Sarah Fleischer, co-founder and CEO of Tozero.

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