Case study - Zero Waste Recycling of Metals

Umicore produces battery materials and a leading recycler of precious metals. The mobile devices, such as laptops, cell phones, and palm pilots, are powered by lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, which are manufactured using nickel and cobalt as well as other metals and plastics. Recycling these products requires special processing and treatment to avoid waste materials. Umicore began a research and development programme for a new technology in 2002, and, by late 2003, the company completed a process called VAL'EAS® to meet this gap in recycling technology. The technology uses the plastics contained in the batteries as fuel, burning it in a furnace to create extra heat. Metals are recovered as an alloy rich in cobalt, nickel, copper and iron. This alloy is refined and separated into pure metal and metal compounds. No hazardous waste is generated due to a special gas cleaning system using plasma technology, which was developed to avoid the formation of dioxin or furan and capture all potential vapours of metals. The recovered metals and metals compounds are re-used, often in a 'closed' recycling loop. Example, cobalt is re-transformed into cobalt dioxide in one of Umicore's Belgian plants. This is then sent to another Umicore plant in Korea to be converted into lithium cobaltite, which is used to make new lithium-ion batteries - and the cycle starts again.