SK tes, an international battery recycling company, is launching a new facility at the Port of Rotterdam dedicated to recycling spent lithium batteries, electric vehicle batteries, and production scrap.
This facility plays a crucial role in recovering key raw materials to meet the growing demand for battery production, particularly for electric vehicles.
The plant processes battery manufacturing scrap, discarded EV batteries, and recalled batteries to extract “black mass”—a semi-processed product rich in valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel—reintroducing them into the battery supply chain.
By recovering these essential materials, SK tes reduces the environmental impact of battery disposal and supports the increasing need for scarce resources critical to new battery production.
The facility aligns with the Port of Rotterdam’s sustainability goals and contributes to the Netherlands’ broader objective of achieving a circular economy by 2050.
In addition, this transition requires significantly increasing recycling and reuse to ensure a steady supply of raw materials, protect the environment, and reduce CO2 emissions from waste incineration.
Moreover, it strengthens Europe’s independence from global supply chains. The SK tes plant marks a significant milestone in these efforts.
The facility is designed to process up to 10,000 tonnes of material annually, with plans to double its capacity by expanding to an adjacent site. Initially covering 10,000 square meters, the plant has the potential to expand up to 40,000 square meters.
