Canada-based Li-Cycle will establish a commercial-scale lithium-ion battery resource recovery plant at Eastman Business Park in Monroe County, New York. The company says the new plant will create at least 23 jobs in its first year. Empire State Development will provide up to $450,000 to Li-Cycle through the Excelsior Jobs Program in exchange for job-creation commitments. The total project cost has been placed at up to $23.3 million over a three-year period.

The first phase of the plant will occupy 57,000 square feet of an existing building, and should be fully operational by the end of the year.

Li-Cycle has developed a battery resource recovery process it says can recover 80 to 100 percent of materials from lithium-ion batteries without generating wastewater discharge. The recovered materials are either processed for reuse in battery production or sent to other recyclers.

Ajay Kochhar, CEO and co-founder of Li-Cycle, said, “The facility will foster the development of closed-loop lithium-ion battery resource recovery in New York and the broader United States market. In turn, we are pleased to support the creation of high-quality jobs in the Finger Lakes region.”

Bill Reilich, Greece Town Supervisor, said, “Lithium-ion battery use is increasing exponentially and Li-Cycle’s low-impact recovery methods will safely deliver raw materials back into the manufacturing market, potentially supplying other energy storage industry partners right here in Eastman Business Park.”

Source: Empire State Development