The accelerating danger from e-waste fires is driving cutting-edge recycling infrastructure. EcoCycle is leading the way.
The escalating risk of lithium battery fires is reshaping the waste and resource recovery landscape. What was once considered an emerging hazard has now become one of the sector’s defining operational challenges.
As more products, such as vapes and power tools to electric toothbrushes, contain embedded batteries, the industry finds itself in a race to deploy technology that can manage the escalating safety crisis. In response, the EcoCycle Group has been investing in advanced infrastructure to strengthen safety and build a more sustainable recycling network across Australia and New Zealand.
2025 was a landmark year for the group, driven by innovation and the establishment of new, critical infrastructure engineered to process high volumes of complex hazardous material. The year ahead promises to be one of even greater transformation.
“The increase in battery collections through our network shows a real shift in public and industry awareness,” EcoCycle Group General Manager Nick Dodd says. “People are becoming more conscious of how they should dispose of batteries, and that’s changing the types of waste we’re seeing.”
Among the group’s major milestones was the commissioning of Australia’s first Battery-in-Device Shredding (BIDS) plant in Melbourne. Designed to safely recycle items such as vapes and mobile phones without manual dismantling, the facility provides an onshore solution for products that previously had limited recycling pathways.
“It’s an important step forward for the industry,” Nick says. “This technology allows us to process entire devices safely and efficiently, regardless of battery chemistry.”
He says this solution has been a long-awaited necessity for both Australia and the world, and it’s exciting to see it now installed and operational at EcoCycle Group’s facility. The success of this plant is equally encouraging, as it offers a practical solution for managing many challenging waste streams.
There are plans to establish more of the plants across the EcoCycle Group network in Australia and New Zealand, which will enhance the region’s waste management capabilities.
Safety remains central to the group’s investment strategy and was a key factor behind a second major infrastructure upgrade. A new battery discharge plant that represents a key part of that approach, enabling the safe removal of residual energy before processing. This significantly reduces risk during handling and improves recycling efficiency.
In addition, the group has completed the installation of a mercury retirement plant at its Perth facility, one of the few of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The plant converts recovered mercury from lighting, dental, and industrial waste into mercury sulphide, a stable compound suitable for permanent disposal. This ensures compliance with international obligations under the Minamata Convention and strengthens Australia’s capacity to manage legacy mercury waste responsibly.
Looking ahead to 2026, EcoCycle Group is focused on large-scale capacity building and national expansion. Its most ambitious project to date – a $50 million lithium battery recycling facility – is now underway. All lithium batteries collected will be processed in a dry, nitrogen-controlled environment at this facility. The plant will have a processing capacity of four tonnes of lithium batteries per hour and will be supported by additional infrastructure at the site, including a battery sorting facility and a large-format discharging plant designed to handle the increasing volume of energy-storage and electric-vehicle batteries entering the market.
Alongside its major capital investments, the EcoCycle Group is strengthening its logistics network.
A new site in Townsville will support northern Queensland, while the redevelopment of its Kwinana Beach site in Western Australia will allow for more localised processing, reducing transport distances and emissions.
The group is also expanding its South Australian operations and affirming its presence in New Zealand, replicating its end-to-end service for local customers with plans to develop onshore processing capabilities, removing the need to export batteries for processing to other jurisdictions.
With the ongoing growth of battery and electronic waste, Nick says the recycling industry should be commended for its investment in innovation and technology.
“As we wait for government policy to play catch-up, the industry is committed to building infrastructure to deal with the increasing risks of lithium-ion batteries,” he says.
“Industry has shown real leadership in building solutions, but national policy needs to keep pace.
“Looking ahead to 2026, a harmonised, well-structured Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)framework is essential if we’re to ensure long-term sustainability and safety.”
He says the urgency for a comprehensive, nationally mandated EPR framework cannot be overstated.
“We need schemes with clear performance targets, enforceable standards, transparent governance, and designed to be commercially sustainable. Only then can we truly protect our communities and our environment and unlock the economic opportunities embedded in resource recovery.”
Nick says the EcoCycle Group’s approach reflects the broader direction of the industry, a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive capacity building.
By combining technical innovation with collaboration across sectors, Australia and New Zealand are positioning themselves as regional leaders in sustainable battery and e-waste management.
For more information, visit www.ecocycle.com.au
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