Toyota Chemical Engineering is pursuing a decarbonized future through research into electricity generation from waste and incineration processes that reduce carbon emissions.
In a bid to lead the environmental industry and advance various technologies, Toyota Chemical Engineering has taken on the challenge of battery recycling without incineration. The company, a partner of Toyota, is working towards creating a recycling-oriented society where incineration is not required.
The test plant, launched in the fall of 2023, marks the first step towards transforming spent batteries into new ones without incineration. This innovative approach is expected to reduce CO2 emissions and improve recovery rates.
The process in the facility involves distilling and extracting the highly flammable electrolytic fluid from spent batteries. After the fluid is removed, the cells are shredded and sorted to recover resources like aluminum, iron, and a valuable mixture known as "black mass."
The black substances known as "black mass" are a rich source of critical metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite. These metals are essential for battery production and are typically extracted from raw materials, a process that contributes significantly to CO2 emissions and environmental impact.
Toyota Chemical Engineering leverages the black mass as a core feedstock in their recycling process. By reclaiming these resources efficiently, they are enabling a circular economy for batteries, contributing towards sustainability and decarbonization efforts.
While the detailed chemical steps Toyota uses for processing black mass are not fully described, industry practice includes hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical treatments to extract lithium hydroxide and other metal compounds from black mass, which can then be purified for reuse.
This recycling process is crucial to lowering the carbon footprint associated with battery production and creating a domestic supply of key battery materials, aligning with Toyota’s carbon-neutral goals.
Countries worldwide are promoting recycling to recover these rare metals due to the limited reserves. In Europe, regulations requiring battery manufacturers to use a fixed ratio of rare metals recovered from spent batteries will take effect in 2031.
Toyota Chemical Engineering has a history of pioneering battery recycling technology. They were involved in establishing the world's first NiMH battery recycling technology in 2010.
Keisuke Isomura, Assistant Manager of the Environment Affairs and Engineering Management Division, stated that this technology is part of Toyota's goal of establishing a circular economy and achieving carbon neutrality. The sorted pieces and powders are transported to cooperating companies and processed into materials for new batteries.
The dream of Toyota Chemical Engineering is to create a circular economy where garbage becomes a resource without emitting carbon. This innovative approach not only supports carbon neutrality initiatives but also contributes to the sustainability and decarbonization efforts of the battery industry.
- Toyota Chemical Engineering's innovative approach to battery recycling, without incineration, is expected to have a significant impact on the environmental-science industry, as it could reduce CO2 emissions and improve recovery rates, thus contributing to sustainability and decarbonization efforts.
- The black mass obtained from the distilling and extracting process of spent batteries is a rich source of critical metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite, which are essential for battery production and recovering these resources through recycling may help lower the carbon footprint associated with battery production and align with Toyota's carbon-neutral goals.
- The battery recycling process developed by Toyota Chemical Engineering could potentially be crucial for various countries worldwide, as regulations like the one in Europe requiring battery manufacturers to use a fixed ratio of rare metals recovered from spent batteries will take effect in 2031, promoting recycling to recover these rare metals due to the limited reserves.
