Recycling plant for lithium-ion batteries strengthens circular economy
Varta Lithium-ionaccu, Museum Autovision, Altlußheim , Duitsland (Foto: Claus Ableiter)
July 16, 2026 – The Netherlands is taking an important step towards more sustainable recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The Dutch organization for applied scientific research TNO is developing technologies that enable valuable raw materials to be recovered from discarded batteries on an industrial scale. Demand for materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite is increasing rapidly due to the growth of electric vehicles and energy storage systems. At the same time, Europe depends heavily on imports of these critical resources.
Advanced recycling processes make it possible to recover these materials and reuse them in new batteries. This reduces the need for mining and lowers the amount of waste. It can also make the European battery supply chain less vulnerable to shortages of raw materials.
According to TNO, high-quality recycling is an essential part of a circular economy. The technology supports more sustainable battery production while improving the security of supply for critical materials needed in the energy transition.
