Atoka gains a new business, but is 'black mass' it produces at recycling plant safe?

A "green" company based in Singapore has opened in southeast Oklahoma what it says is North America's first commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling plant with no need to export depleted material, so-called "black mass" , to China or elsewhere overseas for processing first.

Green Li-ion, which also has offices in Houston, Australia, Germany and South Korea, called it an "historic breakthrough in battery recycling." It uses the company's patented Green-hydrorejuvenation technology , which it offers as a service and also intends to license to manufacturers and other battery recycling businesses.

The company said the plant in Atoka is expected to produce recycled material equal to 72,000 smartphone batteries per day, and to quadruple production within a year.

“Green Li-ion’s installation closes a critical gap in the North American battery recycling supply chain,” Leon Farrant, CEO and co-founder, said in a news release. “Electrification will require manufacturers to exert greater control over their critical mineral supplies. We aim to show American companies the benefits of a customizable and fully vertically integrated battery recycling solution when operating as part of an existing manufacturing process.”

Farrant told The Oklahoman that Atoka, 130 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, was the right place for it.

Why did Green Li-ion in Singapore pick Atoka, Oklahoma, for a lithium-ion battery recycling plant?

Farrant said Atoka is a hub for industrial metals recycling, but Oklahoma's business climate made the city of 3,200 more inviting.

"Oklahoma’s business-friendly policies and its position at the center of the country’s resurging manufacturing industry align perfectly with Green Li-ion’s technology design for integration within existing facilities and our focus on onshoring the battery recycling industry in the U.S.," he said. "Green Li-ion chose Atoka as the location of its first North American operation because of the city's background as a hub for industrial metals recycling, which aligned with our company's mission."

The plant is in Atoka's Heavy Industrial Park, operated by the Atoka City Industrial Development Authority , which said Green Li-ion is creating 17 jobs paying from $35,000 to $120,000 annually, and is poised for rapid growth.

Atoka is benefiting from federal spending and Oklahoma's business climate, said Stephen Hayward, vice president of operations at Green Li-ion.

“Our plant in Atoka is a glimpse into the future of the battery recycling industry in North America,” he said. “The Inflation Reduction Act and business-friendly policies in Oklahoma have spurred innovation, and the state is proving to be the center of the re-growing manufacturing industry in the U.S.

"We aim to show original equipment manufacturers, diversified industrials with a battery recycling business unit, and pure-play recyclers how working with Green Li-ion technology can help them capitalize on the trend toward electrification.”

Green Li-ion is seen as a community partner in Atoka Heavy Industrial Park, said Carol Ervin, director of the Atoka City Industrial Development Authority.

“By using local suppliers and vendors and working with the (Kiamichi) Technology Center, they have made a substantial contribution to the expansion of the private sector and job opportunities in Atoka,” she said.

Atoka's Heavy Industrial Park received $3 million of nearly $250 million in state and federal funding granted by the Legislature in 2022 for economic development. The allocation included money from the state PREP fund, for Preserving Rural Economic Prosperity, and ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act.

Atoka City Industrial Development Authority responds to concerns over the environmental impact of GreenLi-ion battery recycling plant

In response to residents' concerns over potential impact on the environment, expressed on Facebook, the Atoka City Industrial Development Authority said that Green Li-ion's processes require the lowest level of regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We strive to keep our EPA permits at or below EPA Tier 1 at our Heavy Industrial Park, which is the lowest EPA permit," the authority said. "Green Li-ion's process has passed all permits and their process does not require additional air-quality permits.

"Keep in mind that almost every town has a Tier 3 permit. They are required for processing solid waste sludge (sewage). Green Li-ion's goal is to reduce pollution and they are doing that in Atoka while bringing in jobs."

How GreenLi-ion's battery recycling process is different from current practices

Green Li-ion explained its process and how it's different from current industry practices.

"The current recycling process for spent lithium-ion batteries in North America includes sorting batteries before shredding, which are then processed into 'black mass' and further into sulfates," the company said in a news release. "The material is then exported overseas, most often to China and South Korea, for further processing.

"Green Li-ion’s patented technology utilizes a novel and advanced hydrometallurgical approach that closes the recycling loop by directly converting recycling scrap into battery-grade precursor cathode active material — pCAM — without being exported for further processing."

Chemical giant BASF explains the "black mass" process :

"Lithium-ion batteries are composed of metals including lithium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel. Once a battery reaches the end of its useful life, the battery pack can be collected, dismantled, and shredded. The shredded material is then processed to produce so-called 'black mass,' which consists of high amounts of lithium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel metals. These critical materials can then be extracted from the black mass and re-used in new battery production."

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Atoka gains a new business, but is 'black mass' it produces at recycling plant safe?