Money for battery plant

A new plant for lithium-ion processing and recycling facilities will be established at Stawell, after Enviropacific Services received a $1million State Government grant.

Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos announced on Friday two projects would share in $3.5 million to establish lithium-ion processing and recycling facilities.

Ecobatt is the other company to receive $2.5 million to establish a lithium battery processing and recycling plant in Campbellfield, Melbourne.

Together, the two projects will increase Victoria’s capacity to process lithium-ion batteries by 19,500 tonnes each year.

Enviropacific Services already has Australia’s first Acetylene Cylinder Recycling Facility in Stawell, managing the disposal of acetylene cylinders remediated from an illegal disposal site at Kaniva.

The government is aiming to boost Victoria’s capacity to process and recycle household items like lithium-ion batteries, and attempt to make it easier for Victorians to dispose of their old batteries safely and conveniently.

Lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in personal electronic items including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toothbrushes and tools and contain valuable materials such as aluminium, copper, steel and precious materials like cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphene.

Mr Dimopoulos said only a small quantity of lithium-ion battery waste was being processed in Australia, and the two new projects would play a crucial role in increasing Victoria’s capacity to reuse valuable battery materials.

People wanting more information about where to recycle unwanted batteries can visit bcycle.com.au or mobilemuster.com.au/ recycle-a-mobile.