What we offer

Lithium-ion battery collection, recycling and reuse

Five unique benefits

1. Closed loop system

We can collect your waste material and recycle it into high-quality recycled raw materials for use in the production of new batteries.

2. Safe & sustainable operations

Our recycling facilities are powered by renewable energy and our processes are energy efficient – making them safe for employees and the environment.

3. Industrial Capacity

With our advanced recycling processes, we regularly receive and handle waste material on an industrial level – safely and efficiently.

4. European presence

We have certified recycling facilities in several countries and can offer coverage in large parts of Europe.

5. Total waste management

As well as battery recycling, we can also take care of other waste streams, e.g. contaminated water from battery production.

The cover of Stena Recycling's positioning paper. It features a white illustrated electric car with the text: "Recycling of vehicle batteries. We close the circle."

Recycling of vehicle batteries

Stena Recycling is committed to becoming a leading player in Europe in the area of recycling and reuse of lithium-ion batteries.

We have illustrated the challanges and opportunities of vehicle battery recycling in our position paper below. Discover how we can enable the automotive industry’s transition to more circular solutions.

Discover the future of battery recycling

Recycle or reuse – the result is a better future

After rigorous testing, all lithium-ion batteries that are deemed safe for reuse are documented and marked for traceability. They are then prepared for safe transportation before beginning a second life in new applications such as energy storage systems. Any batteries that can’t be reused are safely discharged, dismantled, and high levels of valuable material extracted. All types of lithium-ion batteries like LTO, LFP, LMO, NMC, LCO and NCA can be recycled, while the residual energy extracted from the batteries is either fed back to the grid or used in our recycling processes.

With our advanced recycling processes we can recover plastic, aluminium and copper. But most importantly, we can also extract critical resources such as lithium, cobalt and nickel in what is called black mass. The black mass is then further refined by our expert partners and valuable materials extracted using a hydrometallurgical process. The extracted material is then recycled for use in new batteries. We can arrange for one of our expert partners to refine the black mass for you, creating a closed loop, or we can deliver it to be refined by your own partner. In the proposed EU battery regulation, new lithium-ion batteries must contain a minimum of 12% cobalt, 4% lithium, and 4% nickel from non-virgin materials. Thanks to our investment and advanced processes, we can influence how much recycled raw material battery manufacturers use in their batteries and help reach this goal.

Through recycling or reuse on an industrial scale, Stena Recycling offers a safe, sustainable solution for your end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. Contact us and let’s work together to increase your battery recycling, reduce your climate impact and reduce costs.


How we recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries


1. Collection of used lithium-ion batteries

2. Safe dismantling of housing & State of Health testing

3. Document serial numbers and analysis results

4. High voltage work: prepare & document

5. Deep discharge

6. Mechanical breakdown

7. Black mass refined & materials extracted by our expert partners

8. Recycled raw materials ready for use in new battery production

A Stena Recycling expert prepares to discharge a lithium-ion vehicle battery.

How we reuse end-of-life lithium-ion batteries


1. Collection of used lithium-ion batteries

2. Safe dismantling of housing & State of Health testing

3. Document serial numbers and analysis results

4. Documentation

5. Prepare for safe transportation and reuse

6. Second use in energy storage equipment or spare parts

Lithium-ion battery recycling - we believe batteries should last forever

Used vehicle batteries being reused to power an energy storage system.

Circular management of electric car batteries

See how Stena Recycling examines, discharges and then recycles or reuses batteries from electric cars.
A close-up of two hands holding a mobile phone with a cracked screen.

Recycling lithium-ion batteries from used electronics

At the Stena Nordic Recycling Center, small batteries from used electronics become resources for new batteries.
To Stena Recycling experts in protective clothing work on discahrging and dismantling a lithium-ion vehicle battery.

Designing batteries for circularity

As well as helping you reuse and recycle used lithium-ion batteries, we can help you design new batteries to be more circular from the start.
An ariel view showing a Stena Recycling battery center.

We invest in the future of battery recycling

To meet current and future demands of battery recycling, we are establishing seven new battery centers across Europe and creating exciting new partnerships.
Large vehicle batteries being reused to power a BatteryLoop energy storage system.

Stena reuse process: battery loop

Stena's subsidiary BatteryLoop prolongs the life of electric vehicle batteries. Batteries that can no longer be used in vehicles are used in energy storage systems.

Transparency and other battery recycling trends

Traceability – knowing what a product is made of and where it comes from – is a key part of sustainability. So, when it comes to lithium-ion batteries, manufacturers, customers and partners want to be able to follow a battery throughout its entire lifecycle. At Stena Recycling, we collect as much information as possible about the lithium-ion batteries that we handle. We then label each battery so that it is easily traceable in the future.

Read more about trends within battery recycling

A Stena Recycling battery expert answers questions in an office environment.

Frequently asked questions

We have collected some frequently asked questions about the future of battery recycling.

We receive many interesting questions regarding the future of battery recycling. Here, we have collected some questions and answers. The answers are provided by the experts who participated in our Future of Battery Recycling event and Stena Recycling’s R&D department.

Did you know?

Starting 2023, all EV batteries must have a QR code and a Battery Identification Number (BIN) that provides unique information about the battery.

By 2026, it is planned that each battery will have a battery passport with information about the battery’s origin, characteristics, usage, and health.

By the beginning of 2030, all batteries must contain a minimum of 12% cobalt, 85% lead, 4% lithium, and 4% nickel from non-virgin materials.

Share article