Battery recycling firms to build new plants to cope with EV population growth

Both battery recycling companies intend to outfit their new plants with facilities to repurpose EV batteries that are still relatively healthy for second-life usage, mainly as stationary power storage for buildings.

When asked, the National Environment Agency (NEA) would not comment on plans for additional plants. It merely said that besides the two EV and hybrid vehicle battery recycling plants operated by TES and Se-cure, “a third one is being constructed”.

An NEA spokesman said the two recyclers here are able to “achieve material recovery rates of at least 95 per cent”. This means that if 100kg of used batteries are sent for recycling, at least 95kg of recycled materials are produced.

“The recovered materials are then further treated to recover precious metals such as cobalt, lithium, manganese and nickel,” she added.

Singapore introduced the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme in 2021, which requires electronic goods producers and retailers to recycle their products when they are disposed of.

The NEA spokesman said about 10,000 tonnes of e-waste have been recycled since the scheme started two years ago. This is a fraction of the estimated 60,000 tonnes of e-waste Singapore produces each year.

EV and hybrid vehicle batteries account for just 1 per cent of e-waste recycled under the EPR scheme. 

“Since the start of the EPR scheme in July 2021, about 130 tonnes of batteries from these vehicles have been received by the recyclers,” the spokesman added.

NEA, however, is hopeful that the percentage of recycled e-waste will rise. “As more people become familiar with the scheme and dispose of e-waste properly through the various avenues, we expect collection volumes to increase over time,” the spokesman said.

Through its vendor Alba E-Waste Smart Recycling, the agency has increased the number of e-waste collection points, from an initial 300 to more than 700 across Singapore. “Other collection channels, such as retailers’ one-for-one take-back services and recycling collection drives, have been set up,” NEA said.

“NEA is also stepping up outreach and engagement efforts to encourage e-waste recycling and raise public awareness of its importance.”

Toyota authorised agent Borneo Motors, the leading retailer of hybrid cars here with a market share of around 40 per cent, said it has collected more than 250 pieces of batteries from such vehicles since late 2021.

According to Land Transport Authority statistics, there are around 81,000 petrol-electric hybrid vehicles (excluding plug-in hybrids) in Singapore today. Assuming that just 5 per cent are deregistered a year, about 4,000 pieces of batteries should be collected per annum.