Singapore processes and recycles waste batteries from fruit peels

A recycling plant in Singapore is turning used lithium batteries into useful metal, with help from fruit peels.

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have developed technology that uses fruit peels to treat battery waste. They are currently working with local battery treatment and recycling company Se-cure Waste Management to launch the pilot project.

This recycling plant has been operating since the fourth quarter of 2022, with a processing capacity of up to 2,000 liters of used shredded batteries mixed with solvents from fruit peels to extract electrode materials such as cobalt, lithium, nickel and manganese. The parties are also evaluating the technical performance and economic viability towards commercializing this technology.

This method, which uses fruit peel waste to extract precious metals from battery waste instead of conventional chemicals and strong acids, has also been successful in the laboratory using other types of fruit peel waste. other plants such as pineapple peel, pear and lemon.

Fruit peels are rich in sugars, natural antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolic acids as well as organic acids. All of these substances enhance the dissolution and recovery of metals from battery waste. Scientists are now looking at the possibility of using other types of biomass waste.

resource recovery from food waste and e-waste supports the country’s transition to a circular economy and zero-waste nation. Specifically, the metal salts recovered from this process can be reused to create new batteries, and this method can close the waste loop with a sustainable solution.

According to Se-cure Waste Management, the purpose of the pilot project is to provide customers with a closed-loop solution beyond battery disposal, while finding a greener path to resource sustainability.

According to Baotainguyenmoitruong.vn