Recycling Across Borders: How We Handle Scrap from Around the World
Scrap metal and batteries don’t stay put—they travel the globe, crossing oceans and borders before landing in our hands. From rusty car parts in Detroit to dead EV batteries in Shanghai, we’re at the heart of a worldwide recycling network, turning international waste into valuable resources. It’s a complex dance of logistics, regulations, and tech, but we’re making it work—sustainably and smartly. Here’s how we handle scrap from around the world and why it’s a big deal for the planet and industry.
Shipping containers loaded with scrap crisscross the seas, landing at hubs like Rotterdam, Los Angeles, or Shenzhen before reaching us. We work with partners worldwide to ensure it arrives sorted and documented—because chaos at the source means trouble downstream. It’s a global relay race, and we’re the finish line.
Sorting the International Mix
Not all scrap is created equal. A battery from Germany might differ from one in Japan—different chemistries, sizes, or wear. Our facility is built to handle the variety. When a shipment arrives, we dive in with precision. Lead-acid batteries get separated from lithium-ion ones; steel scraps are split from copper. We use cutting-edge tools—AI-driven sorters and X-ray scanners—to identify materials fast, ensuring nothing’s wasted or misprocessed.
Processing with a Global Mindset
Once sorted, the real work kicks in. Lead-acid batteries from the U.S. might head to our smelting furnaces, where we extract pure lead with advanced filtration to trap fumes. Lithium-ion scrap from China could hit our hydrometallurgy line, pulling out cobalt and nickel with water-based solutions—low emissions, high yield. Steel from India? It’s melted down and refined into ingots for new construction. Each type gets a tailored process, fine-tuned for safety and sustainability.