Tata Chemicals, a company with interests in chemicals, crop nutrition, and consumer products, has entered the battery recycling industry. The company has started commercial operations to recover active cathode materials from spent lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells or batteries.

Li-ion battery recycling is a process where metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese are recovered. The recovery maintains 99% purity in the levels of yield. The process directly impacts environmental pollution levels. Energy and natural resources are saved as fewer raw materials need to be harnessed from the earth since recycling makes these materials reusable. The minerals recovered in the recycling process are delivered to battery manufacturers to be reused in the production of new batteries. The Li-ion battery recycling process will occur at a unit located near Mumbai, India.

According to the company, this venture is expected to strengthen the energy sciences business undertaken by Tata Chemicals. The recycling operations is a pilot project. The project has been productive until now, and a goal to scale up operations to recycle 500 tons of spent Li-ion batteries is in the pipeline.

In the recently concluded Union Budget for the financial year (FY) 2019-20, the finance minister, Nirmala Seetharaman has lent support to the electric vehicle industry by announcing tax incentives to accelerate the adoption of clean mobility in India. In lieu with the guidelines of Make In India policy, the government intends to pioneer a program to attract global companies to set up large-scale manufacturing projects in areas such as Li-ion storage batteries to name a few.

The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board and Urja Global have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to set up manufacturing units of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles in the country.