In Nigeria, lithium-ion batteries used to power thousands of solar home systems will be recycled locally.
Bloomberg reports that Lumos Global of the Netherlands, which has provided its off-grid solar systems to 150 000 customers, has awarded a contract to recycle the end-of-life batteries to West Africa-based IT solutions company Hinckley & Associates.
Ten thousand used lithium-ion batteries have already been delivered to the facility in Ojota, Lagos, after having been stored in warehouses until recycling plans were finalised.
The recycling process will involve turning the batteries and components into powder, which will be safer to handle and dispose of. Some of the batteries may also be repurposed. The recycling plant can process up to 20 000 tons of e-waste a year.
