The demand for “black mass,” the metal-rich powder produced from shredded batteries, is expected to increase in the coming years. And the UK is leaving no stone unturned to process this battery waste domestically. 

The UK currently exports most of its black mass because it lacks the domestic infrastructure to refine this valuable mixture salvaged from dead EV batteries.

The ReCAM project aims to change this by using advanced technology and AI to process this dirt locally, turning it directly back into high-grade battery components. 

Reportedly, the ReCAM project is a new UK consortium — comprising UKBIC, Watercycle Technologies, Recyclus Group Ltd, and Polaron — dedicated to keeping battery value within the country.

With effort, the UK can secure its own green energy supply chain, reduce export emissions, and transform a growing waste problem into a massive economic asset.

The group aims to process end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and transform “black mass” back into usable manufacturing materials. 

The short-loop design

The ReCAM project is a strategic effort to bolster the UK’s national resource security by processing battery waste domestically rather than sending it for export. 

Faced with a massive surge in electric vehicle adoption, the UK is bracing for a wave of battery waste that could reach 94,000 tonnes of black mass annually by 2040. This dark, metal-rich powder contains critical elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, yet most of it is currently shipped overseas for processing. 

While standard methods use complex chemical processes to break down waste into individual metals, this patented technology converts black mass directly into Cathode Active Material (CAM) in a single, streamlined stage via a short-loop refining method. 

This zero-waste approach is designed to recover lithium with high efficiency, providing a faster and cleaner way to produce the essential components for brand-new batteries.

Engineered for flexibility, the technology utilizes a modular design that can be deployed directly at existing recycling centers. 

It can process approximately 250kg (551 pounds) of material per hour. These compact units eliminate the need for transporting heavy waste to a centralized plant. Interestingly, this localized approach not only makes the recovery of battery materials more economically viable but also allows the UK to scale its recycling infrastructure quickly and efficiently.

“By establishing a viable UK-based route for refining battery waste into reusable materials we can unlock significant economic value, reduce emissions associated with exports and enhance the resilience of the UK battery ecosystem,” said Dr. Ahmed Abdelkarim, co-founder at Watercycle Technologies. 

Use of AI

Reportedly, Polaron is enhancing the project with its AI-driven materials platform, which bridges the gap between recycled waste and high-performance battery components. The company analyzes how specific processing conditions affect the resulting microstructure to predict and optimize the recycled cathode‘s final performance.

This digital oversight ensures consistent, high-quality outputs, making it easier for manufacturers to confidently reintegrate recycled materials into the next generation of batteries.

“For recycled battery materials to be used again at scale, they need to prove they can be performant. Our role in ReCAM is to help the consortium understand how process conditions shape cathode microstructure and performance, so promising recycled materials can move closer to battery-grade use as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Isaac Squires, CEO and co-founder of Polaron.