Kezad/Witthal to set up lithium battery recycling plant in UAE

UAE’s largest operator of fully integrated economic zones Kezad Group and Singapore-headquartered commodity trading firm Witthal Gulf Industries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the UAE’s first lithium battery recycling plant.

The facility, which is scheduled to commence full operations by Q2 2027, will have the capacity to recycle 5,000 tonnes/year of battery waste by 2027. Doing so will save an estimated 20,000 tonnes/year of greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the need for energy-intensive mining, and create new opportunities for local employment and innovation, a statement said.

The collaboration aims to establish a cutting-edge battery recycling facility that contributes to sustainable industrial practices while supporting the UAE’s environmental objectives.

This project aligns with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 goals and its Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, underscoring the nation’s leadership in green industrial development, it said.

The plant will support the EV ecosystem by fostering renewable energy storage, reducing the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, and promoting sustainable practices through advanced carbon capture technologies and material recovery methods.

Establishing a fully operational lithium battery recycling plant lays the foundation for a robust EV ecosystem within Kezad, but will also be a fundamental element of Whittal’s growth, said Sugumaran Devaraja, Advisor, Witthal Gulf Industries.

“We are poised for the next phase of growth as a company. We want to build technology and other ecosystems around the factory, so whether it’s carbon capture or value-added manufacturing, we want to look at how we can embed ourselves as a foundation member of what Kezad is looking to do,” added Devaraja.