Recycling and waste management company, Recycling Lives, has been given the green light from the UK government on a new battery treatment and sorting centre, having revealed that it has received Approved Battery Treatment Operator (ABTO) status just weeks after achieving B Corp certification.
Work on a specialist battery treatment centre is already underway, with a flagship site in Workington scheduled to open its doors in March this year. The state-of-the-art site aims to set the new industry standard for collection, storage and sorting of all battery types, with full traceability of each cell’s life journey from source.
By securing ABTO and ABE status, Recycling Lives can now sort, process, recycle and/or export all types of battery, from button cells commonly found in wristwatches, to Lithium e-bike, e-scooter and e-cigarette and vape batteries, plus everything in between.
“We are really pleased to have achieved ABTO status and are excited to get started at our Workington plant once it opens in March,” Recycling Lives’ Senior Commercial Manager, AJ Marsh who spearheaded the development of the Workington site, commented.
“As part of our existing recycling network, we have great connections with key disposal routes in the UK and on the continent, which means we are already set up to keep much of processing in the UK, which is far more sustainable than exporting.
“Batteries can be a major pollutant during the disposal process, and yet contain a wealth of materials, such as lithium, which continue to be mined from the earth. Recycling Lives believe, with efficient recycling and extraction processes, we can help reduce long term damage to the planet. Lithium-ion batteries are also believed to contribute to almost half of all waste fires in the UK, which is why it is imperative that they are recycled using the best possible solution. Recycling Lives is committing to taking all types of cells and chemistries; no matter what battery it is, we will process, sort and recycle it via the most sustainable and reputable disposer route.”
By achieving ABTO status and in establishing the Workington flagship site, Recycling Lives said that it is taking another major step forward in its sustainability journey, displaying long-term commitment to a true circular economy – all the while setting the benchmark for sustainable battery disposal for the rest of the industry.
