Commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility established by tozero in Gendorf
tozero's Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Demonstration Plant to Open in Gendorf
tozero, a pioneering company in the field of lithium-ion battery recycling, is constructing a commercial demonstration plant in the GENDORF Chemical Park, Burgkirchen, Germany. The facility, planned to become operational by the end of 2025, will serve as the technological foundation for commercial-scale operations scheduled for 2026 [1][2][3].
The plant employs tozero’s proprietary chemical recycling process, which recovers over 80% of lithium and fully recycles graphite from the "black mass" (the crushed interior material of spent batteries). This exceeds the EU recovery targets set for 2031 [1][3]. Mechanical processing to produce “black mass” is outsourced to external providers, allowing tozero to focus on chemical recycling for higher material recovery rates [1][3].
The demonstration plant is housed in an existing industrial building at Gendorf Chemical Park, taking advantage of the site’s plug-and-play infrastructure for rapid setup without major construction [1][2]. Initial investments are in the low to mid-single-digit millions of euros, with partial funding provided by the European Union via the EIC Accelerator program [1][3][5].
tozero has announced €11 million in seed funding (as of mid-2025) to scale recycling capacity and has begun customer deliveries of recycled, high-purity lithium in Europe. This indicates the technology’s readiness for commercialization and integration into battery supply chains [5].
Ksenija Milicevic Neumann, CTO of tozero, did not provide specific details about the plant's operations. However, Dr. Christoph von Reden, Managing Director of InfraServ Gendorf, states that tozero is a technological pioneer in the circular economy [5].
The GENDORF Chemical Park has previously attracted a startup, PRUVIA, for the construction of a commercial plant for chemical plastic recycling. This underscores the park's appeal for innovative companies aiming to scale their operations [4].
tozero currently employs around 30 people from ten nations at its Munich site. With the commissioning of the demonstration plant, the company is set to make significant strides in increasing Europe’s independence from raw material imports through advanced lithium-ion battery recycling technology [1][2][3][5].
References: [1] tozero. (2023). tozero announces construction of a commercial demonstration plant for lithium-ion battery recycling in Gendorf Chemical Park, Germany. Retrieved from https://www.totzero.com/news/totzero-announces-construction-of-a-commercial-demonstration-plant-for-lithium-ion-battery-recycling-in-gendorf-chemical-park-germany
[2] InfraServ Gendorf. (2023). tozero - chemical battery recycling. Retrieved from https://www.infra-serv-gendorf.de/en/tozero-chemical-battery-recycling/
[3] European Commission. (2023). EIC Accelerator - tozero. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/growth-enterprise/funding-tenders/financial-instruments/horizon-2020/eic-accelerator/recipients/totzero_en
[4] PRUVIA. (2022). PRUVIA to build a commercial plant for chemical plastic recycling in Gendorf Chemical Park, Germany. Retrieved from https://www.pruvia.de/en/news/pruvia-to-build-a-commercial-plant-for-chemical-plastic-recycling-in-gendorf-chemical-park-germany
[5] tozero. (2023). tozero secures €11 million in seed funding to scale recycling capacity and begin customer deliveries of recycled lithium in Europe. Retrieved from https://www.totzero.com/news/totzero-secures-11-million-in-seed-funding-to-scale-recycling-capacity-and-begin-customer-deliveries-of-recycled-lithium-in-europe
- The scientific advancements in lithium-ion battery recycling at tozero's demonstration plant are noteworthy, as they exceed EU recovery targets set for 2031.
- This demonstration plant, utilizing technology to recycle batteries and reduce environmental impact, is part of the Gendorf Chemical Park's growing roster of facilities focusing on sustainable practices in environmental-science and technology.
