The battery recycling plant has a capacity of millions of pounds of alkaline batteries per year. | Kinek00/Shutterstock
E-scrap processor ERI is getting into the alkaline battery recycling business, opening a new space to process these materials at its 315,000-square-foot electronics recycling and ITAD facility in Plainfield, Indiana.
The battery recycling plant is up and running, according to an Aug. 6 press release, and has a capacity of millions of pounds of alkaline batteries per year.
The company developed a proprietary technology for processing all types of alkaline batteries and plans to “expand its footprint by opening additional alkaline battery recycling plants throughout the U.S. in 2025 and beyond,” according to the release.
John Shegerian, ERI co-founder and CEO, said the “innovative alkaline battery recycling process produces zero waste products, is circular economy focused and yields clean commodity outputs – creating a truly circular ecosystem.” Shegerian added that the expansion is “a natural progression for us to be able to offer a complementary service to ERI’s existing suite” of capabilities.
Right now, ERI can accept alkaline batteries at all of its eight locations in Arizona, California, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.
ERI called 2023 its “most financially successful” year yet in its latest sustainability report. It took in 124 million pounds of e-scrap nationwide, of which 97% was processed for commodity recovery. The remaining 3% went to reuse.