American Battery Technology Company, an integrated critical battery materials firm, has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries that contain the same core chemistries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems.
The authorization covers batteries recovered from the largest lithium-ion battery cleanup operation in EPA history, following a grid-scale energy storage system fire in Northern California earlier this year.
The project highlights the growing need for US-based recycling infrastructure capable of safely handling and processing lithium-ion batteries across the EV and stationary storage sectors.
ABTC’s Nevada facility has been audited and approved by the EPA under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to receive and recycle damaged or thermally compromised lithium-ion batteries classified as hazardous waste.
Up to 100,000 damaged battery modules will undergo specialized handling, packaging, transportation, and recycling under EPA oversight. ABTC has upgraded its Nevada facility to manage these materials and has already begun receiving large-scale shipments.
Through its closed-loop process, ABTC recovers materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, steel, and copper for reuse in new battery production. This effort supports the domestic supply chain for critical minerals essential to EV manufacturing and large-scale energy storage systems, reducing reliance on imported sources.
The EPA is coordinating battery characterization, transport, and delivery logistics to ABTC’s facility. The recovered batteries vary in condition from intact units to severely damaged modules requiring immediate processing. Based on current market prices, the total value of recycled materials could approach $30 million if the full volume is processed.
This cleanup effort underscores the need for specialized recycling capabilities as EVs, grid storage systems, and data centers deploy increasingly large lithium-ion installations. The project is expected to help shape future standards for safely collecting, transporting, and recycling damaged batteries.
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News