Hosted by the Oireachtas Library & Research Service and Science Foundation Ireland, Dr Tony Keene from the School of Chemistry in UCD discusses a new, zero emissions process for recycling batteries in Ireland that he and his colleagues have recently developed.
The process is:
- Zero emissions
- Low energy
- > 95% materials recovery
- Rapid turnaround
- Lab-proven
As conventional battery recycling is dirty, wasteful and energy intensive, scaling up a local, zero emissions alternative would have a positive impact on Ireland's climate goals. This alternative recycling process would see almost 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide being saved per tonne of recycled battery material.
The team hope their work will lead to cheaper batteries for electric vehicles, lower carbon emissions and relieve conditions for communities involved in mining the raw materials (cobalt and lithium).