By Battery Power Staff
October 1, 2018 | SungEel announced the location of its first plant for the North American lithium-ion battery (LIB), e-waste recycling, energy and metals markets. The Endicott, N.Y., plant will be located in the Huron Campus, formerly the IBM-Endicott facility. SMCC will leverage more than $1.75 million in incentives from New York State and create more than 100 research, engineering and manufacturing jobs.
Approximately 50% of LIBs are recovered and recycled in the European Union and some Asian countries, whereas less than 5% of all LIBs are recycled in the United States, Waste360 reports. Cobalt and lithium are the two most valuable metals found in LIBs, with consumption of both outpacing supplies in recent years. The United States lacks the domestic supply of both strategic metals. SMCC explained it will recover these valuable metals through an environmentally friendly process. The recovered metals can be used in the manufacture of new lithium-ion batteries as well as multiple industrial applications.
