Lithium Australia subsidiary Envirostream receives Sustainability Victoria funds for battery recycling

Lithium Australia NL’s (ASX:LIT) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) (FRA:3MW) 90%-owned Envirostream Australia Pty Ltd has received grant funding of $201,399 from Sustainability Victoria under the e-Waste Infrastructure Grant Round 2. This funding will support further development and optimisation of Envirostream Australia’s Electrolyte Management in Rechargeable Battery Recycling project. Creating circular battery supply chain Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said: “With battery stewardship imminent, and a growing need for new industries and technology to boost employment, Lithium Australia and Envirostream wish to acknowledge the support of the Victorian State Government in providing the funds for this very timely grant. “Our research into identifying and containing toxic battery electrolyte materials continues apace, with Lithium Australia’s technical expertise in this regard ably supported by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). “Both Lithium Australia and Envirostream are fully committed to sound ESG principles and, together, aim to ensure that noxious waste streams from spent batteries are recycled for the benefit of the entire industry. “This will create a circular battery supply chain and ameliorate the impacts of mining on fragile ecosystems.” Battery stewardship Round 2 of the E-Waste Infrastructure Grants prioritises e-waste reprocessing capability and capacity, as well as the collection and storage of e-waste, through investment in fixed, semi-permanent e-waste infrastructure upgrades and alternate non-fixed collection and storage solutions. Battery stewardship in Australia is set to become a reality and the onshore mixed-battery recycling company is already prepared. Its electrolyte management project will allow it to safely increase production capacity at its battery recycling facility in Victoria as its battery retrieval network expands to cope with the increasing quantities of properly discarded spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that the stewardship scheme will deliver. Process for recycling batteries Envirostream’s management solutions for what is fast becoming one of the biggest challenges for the domestic waste industry are safe, innovative and sustainable. Management of this waste material has risen to prominence following the Victorian Government’s ban of e-waste disposal in landfill, effective July 1, 2019. Australia-wide, the amount of e-waste is growing three times faster than that of general waste and much of that e-waste includes spent LIBs, the recycling of which is Envirostream’s principal area of expertise. Through extensive research and development, Envirostream has established a process for recycling spent LIBs that safely captures those electrolyte components in liquid form. Expanding collection network Envirostream, which already has agreements with a number of retailers and manufacturers regarding the stewardship of spent batteries, is in the process of expanding its collection network nationally, using safe, reliable units that are fully compliant with