Elemental Strategic Metals („ESM”), a subsidiary of the Elemental Group, a global leader in urban mining and recovering green metals, and Huawei Polska („Huawei”), a worldwide leader in the digital technology market have signed an agreement for future cooperation in terms of lithium-ion battery recycling and the disposal of used electronics.
The signed agreement will allow the combination of knowledge and resources of Huawei and ESM in respect to the collection and processing of used Li-Ion batteries and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (“WEEE”), and then recovering strategic metals from them.
ESM is in the process of constructing a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in southern Poland. The European Commission is working on amending the battery directive and proposes that by 2030, 95 percent of copper, nickel and cobalt and 70 percent of lithium should be subjected to recovery processes. For this reason, Zawiercie will house a strategic battery recycling facility for electric vehicles. It will comply with all environmental standards and in a sustainable manner recover not only lithium but also other elements such as nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium or rhodium.
“The resources of rare metals used for the production of, among other things, batteries for electric vehicles are limited. Therefore, it is crucial to establish such partnerships like this one between Elemental Strategic Metals and Huawei, which allows for more effective action under the closed-loop economy, and hence, a better utilization of resources. I am confident that the planned cooperation between our companies will bring mutual benefits in the future,” summarized Michał Zygmunt, CEO Elemental Strategic Metals.
“Our agreement is further evidence of Huawei’s commitment to building a sustainable economy. We are already taking joint actions with Elemental Strategic Metals, a leader in urban mining, to proactively create a backbone and expertise in Poland, which will enable us to meet the requirements of the European Commission and support sustainable development. We are immensely pleased that as a company present in Poland for 20 years, we are contributing to the development of the Polish economy, making it greener. I am sure that our shared experience and cooperation will result in an effective synergy for better use of recovered resources,” adds Ryszard Hordyński, Director of Strategy and Communication at Huawei Polska.
As per the signed agreement, ESM and Huawei will jointly work towards effective WEEE and Li-Ion battery collection throughout Europe, and then these devices will undergo the recycling process at the ESM plant in Zawiercie. The parties declare cooperation on various levels and further development within the framework of the responsible closed-loop economy.
