Waste management and environmental services provider PreZero has agreed to acquire German company “Re.Lion.Bat. Circular” based in Meppen, Lower Saxony, where it claims to operate Europeʼs largest recycling facility for lithium-ion batteries. According to PreZero, the plant processes up to 30,000 tons of used batteries per year. An expansion to a capacity of 60,000 tons has also been approved.
Recovery rate exceeds 98 percent
The plant employs a thermomechanical process for its battery recycling operations. After the used batteries are mechanically shredded, their materials are separated. Plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and black mass, which contains lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite, are recovered. PreZero claims that the recovery rate for black mass exceeds 98 percent.
Processing, second-life use and recycling
The company plans to integrate processing, second-life use, and recycling. The takeover is being overseen by state politicians and local governments. PreZero already has certifications according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 as well as specialized waste management certifications and is in the process of obtaining an ESG rating.
Source:
https://prezero.de/presse/2025/prezero-uebernimmt-re.lion.bat.-circular
