Cirba, Batteries Plus expand retail battery recycling

Market: Battery materials, Metals
06/06/24

Battery recycler Cirba Solutions and national retailer Batteries Plus have agreed to partner on expanded US battery recycling services.

North Carolina-based Cirba will process batteries, including lead acid and lithium-ion, that consumers bring to one of Batteries Plus' 700 US locations. Cirba will extract critical minerals that can be used as feedstock in the production of new batteries, the company said on Wednesday.

The collaboration will target household batteries and small electronics, boosting supply of domestically produced battery-grade materials. The partnership also aims to reduce the amount of batteries that end up in material recovery facilities (MRFs), where they pose fire and environmental risks.

Cirba signed an agreement in December with Toyota to process end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid batteries at its shredding facility in Lancaster, Ohio. The company said its recycling process can recover 95pc of the critical minerals found in those batteries.

By Alex Nicoll

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

News

24/01/25

Trump's wind order threatens US steel demand

Houston, 24 January (Argus) — An executive order signed by President Donald Trump this week threatens steel consumption by the burgeoning US offshore wind industry. Trump on Monday ordered that the offshore continental shelf be withdrawn from new wind energy leasing, effective 21 January until the order is revoked. While the order theoretically protects existing leases, Trump also ordered the secretary of the interior, in consultation with the US attorney general, to conduct ecological, economic, and environmental reviews to determine if the leases should be terminated or amended. "We're not going to do the wind thing," Trump said. Trump's withdrawal targets only wind energy leasing on federal property, and leaves leasing for oil and gas, mineral exploration and environmental conservation untouched. The order could cut demand for US platemakers such as Nucor and JSW USA, who have made investments in their operations to target the offshore wind industry. A single monopile can require upwards of 2,500 metric tonnes (t) (2,756 short tons) of steel, according to German-based producer EEW Group, which has been building a monopile production facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey, to serve the US offshore wind industry. Japanese trading company Mitsui, Spanish wind turbine manufacturer GRI Renewable Industries and Nucor announced in August that they were considering developing a joint venture wind tower plant on the US east coast. Nucor recently built a 1.2mn short tons (st)/yr plate mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky, that the steelmaker wants to use to supply plate to monopile structure production. JSW Steel, an Indian steelmaker, announced in June it would invest $110mn to upgrade its Baytown, Texas, plate mill so it could make plates for offshore monopiles. The Baytown mill produced nearly 121,000st of plate and pipe in the fourth quarter, up by 15pc from a year earlier. Trump is also attempting to halt at least one onshore wind project, pausing activities around the Lava Ridge Wind Project, a potentially 1,000MW system on public lands in Idaho. Trump called the Bureau of Land Management's approval in December "allegedly contrary to the public interest" and subject to "legal deficiencies". Interior will evaluate the project's record of decision and possibly conduct new analysis on the system. By Rye Druzchetta Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Find out more

News

Port of Nola reopens after winter storm

24/01/25

News

24/01/25

Port of Nola reopens after winter storm

Houston, 24 January (Argus) — The port of New Orleans reopened today after a prolonged shut-down propelled by a heavy winter storm that swept through the US Gulf earlier this week. Nola and Ports America reopened today to begin working on the backlog of movement caused by the storm. The port had been officially closed since 19 January in anticipation of the wintry temperatures, heavy precipitation and winds. Several inches of snow fell across New Orleans beginning Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service, with freezing conditions lasting through Thursday. Both ship and barge loadings and unloadings were significantly delayed across terminals. Several shipping and barge companies announced force majeures before the storm but are expected to reopen within the next couple of days, subject to safety conditions. By Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

China expands EV charging infrastructure in 2024

24/01/25

News

24/01/25

China expands EV charging infrastructure in 2024

Beijing, 24 January (Argus) — China significantly expanded its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in 2024, data from the country's Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance (EVCIPA) show. China added 4.222mn EV charging points in 2024, a 25pc increase from a year earlier. This indicates one charging point for every 2.7 EV units on average. The newly added charging points include 830,000 public charging points and 3.368mn private charging points, marking a decline of 8.1pc and a rise of 37pc respectively from the number of charging points added in 2023. Newly added charging points stood at 119,000 in December, up by 31pc on the year. China's total number of charging points was 12.82mn as of the end of December 2024, up by 49pc from a year earlier, EVCIPA data show. China will add 3.62mn of charging points equipped for private vehicles in 2025, with the total number of charging devices rising to 11.582mn, according to EVCIPA. The country will add 73,000 public charging stations and 1.038mn public charging devices in 2025. The country's growing EV charging infrastructure is expected to boost the purchasing of new energy vehicles (NEVs). A lack of charging infrastructure, especially in smaller cities and rural areas, is one of the main reasons restricting NEV adoption. Most charging infrastructure is concentrated in more developed provinces and cities such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai and Beijing, accounting for 69pc of the country's total infrastructure in 2024. China's NEV market penetration rose to 40.9pc of the country's total auto sales in 2024, up from 31.6pc in 2023 and 26pc in 2022. Penetration will reach 50pc in 2025, some market participants said. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Rio Tinto faces Australian iron ore shipment delays

24/01/25

News

24/01/25

Rio Tinto faces Australian iron ore shipment delays

Sydney, 24 January (Argus) — UK-Australian miner Rio Tinto is facing shipping disruptions in Western Australia (WA) after Cyclone Sean damaged a railcar dumper as it swept down the state's coast, the firm announced today. A dumper at Rio's East Intercourse Island (EII) port facility — a part of the Pilbara Port Authority's (PPA) Port Dampier — was flooded on 20 January, sustaining some damage, when 274mm of rain poured down on WA over a single day. EEI handled 45mn t of Rio Tinto's iron ore shipments in 2024. "Initial indications suggest the dumper at EII could be offline for three to four weeks, as rectifications works are required to repair flood damage," the company said on 24 January. Rio Tinto said its overall 2025 production guidance of between 323mn-338mn t of iron ore remains unchanged, but the disruption may affect first-quarter shipments. WA's coastal areas received the bulk of Cyclone Sean's rainfall earlier this week, limiting disruptions to the state's lucrative iron ore mines. Rio Tinto operates seven railcar dumpers across WA, six of which remain operational. The company will continue to move iron ore out of the state over the next month, using its other dumpers. Cyclone Sean forced the PPA to shutter its facilities at Port Hedland, Dampier, Ashburton, Varanus Island, and Cape Preston West on 18 January. All five of the sites resumed operations on 20 January, after the Bureau of Meteorology advised that Cyclone Sean was moving away from WA's Pilbara region. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Trump tariffs could stall Mexico’s growth: Fitch

23/01/25

News

23/01/25

Trump tariffs could stall Mexico’s growth: Fitch

Mexico City, 23 January (Argus) — US President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico could have a serious impact on Mexico's already sluggish economic growth in 2025, Fitch Ratings said. "Our assumption is that Trump will follow through on some tariff threats," said Todd Martinez, senior director of sovereigns at Fitch Ratings, during a webinar. But potential 25pc tariffs would likely apply only to durable goods, which account for about 10pc of Mexico's exports to the US, thanks to protections under the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement that are likely to protect oil exports, he added. Fitch forecasts Mexico's economy to grow by just 1.1pc in 2025. But this estimate does not include the potential impact of tariffs, even if limited. Should they be implemented, these tariffs could shave 0.8 percentage points off GDP growth, potentially pushing the economy into near-zero growth or a contraction, Martinez said. The uncertainty surrounding the scope, timing, and duration of the tariffs adds to the economic risks. "These tariffs may also serve as a negotiation tool for broader bilateral issues," noted Shelly Shetty, managing director of sovereigns at Fitch Ratings. Exports to the US represent over 25pc of Mexico's annual GDP growth. Additionally, Mexico is home to the largest undocumented population in the US, at around 4.8mn individuals, according to Fitch. While Trump's return to the White House could disrupt Mexico's economy, domestic challenges also threaten growth. Martinez highlighted the judicial reform passed late last year, which will overhaul the judiciary by introducing popular elections for judges and supreme court justices between 2025 and 2027. This reform has already raised concerns among global investors. Mexico's governance index has worsened between 2012 and 2023, according to the World Bank. Fitch also noted that the ruling party Morena's supermajority in congress could further alarm international investors by introducing policies perceived as unfavorable to business. Fitch currently has Mexico's sovereign credit rating at BBB-, its lower medium investment grade, with a stable outlook. By Édgar Sígler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more