SK Tes Poised to Lead Global Waste Battery Recycling Market
In a recent interview, John Oh, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at SK Tes, shared insights into how the company is positioning itself as a leader in the waste battery recycling market. Battery recycling is critical to electronic waste management, as batteries contain harmful chemicals that can damage the environment if not properly disposed of. Recognizing this, SK Tes is developing innovative solutions that optimize each stage of a battery’s lifecycle—maximizing value and minimizing environmental impact.
“The three most important factors in winning the market for recycling waste batteries are these: a dense collection network to secure future volumes of waste batteries, a prime location as a hub, and internalization of the technology for extracting rare metals. Together with our parent company SK Ecoplant, we have secured these three points and are ready for the global market,” said John Oh.
SK Tes’s global presence—spanning 23 countries and 46 sites—is a competitive advantage. Strategic locations such as Rotterdam and Yancheng enable the company to respond to the expanding market for waste batteries, particularly as electric vehicle (EV) adoption increases. With more than 30 Basel permits, SK Tes is well-equipped to globally source feedstock, overcoming regulatory restrictions and ensuring a diversified supply chain.
This global network enables SK Tes to deliver tailored services that meet regional compliance standards for safety, carbon emissions, and environmental regulations. Its local and global teams collaborate to navigate the complex requirements for battery transport, storage, and recycling.
Oh credited the company’s success to its end-to-end solutions for waste battery recycling. With over 20 years of experience in e-waste recycling, SK Tes processes over 4 million devices annually for reuse and recycling, and is a pioneer in repurposing discarded batteries for energy storage systems.
As the EV market grows, so does the need for efficient battery recycling. EV batteries contain valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel that can be reused in new batteries. If not properly recycled, these batteries pose environmental hazards.
Battery recycling not only mitigates environmental harm, but also helps recover valuable materials—reducing the need to mine new resources. High recovery rates are crucial for success in this industry. SK Tes’s advanced technologies ensure exceptional recovery of critical minerals, offering both competitive and sustainability benefits.
With facilities in key locations—Singapore, Shanghai, Grenoble, and new developments in Rotterdam and Yancheng—SK Tes is well-positioned to manage the growing volume of EV battery waste. Its experience in recycling lithium batteries from mobile devices supports high recovery rates and rare metal purity.
“SK Ecoplant, together with SK Tes, has logistics bases and technology in key EV and battery locations around the world,” said Oh. “We will stand out in the global EV waste battery market, which is expected to grow by leaps and bounds.”
Looking ahead, Oh envisions SK Tes as a global leader in EV battery recycling. With strategically located logistics hubs and proprietary technologies, SK Tes is poised for significant expansion. Its commitment to sustainability and innovation indicates a strong future in lithium-ion battery recycling.
