Blue Whale Materials Partners with Call2Recycle to Advance Li-Ion Battery Recycling in North America

On Monday, February 17, lithium-ion battery recycler Blue Whale Materials (BWM) announced a strategic partnership with Call2Recycle, a battery stewardship organization in North America. Through the partnership, Blue Whale Materials’ state-of-the-art sorting and recycling facility in Bartlesville, Oklahoma will receive, and process batteries brought into Call2Recycle’s national network, which collects spent batteries across the U.S.

According to the press release, the partnership will play a key role in meeting the urgent need for domestically sourced battery materials and it represents a pivotal step in enhancing North America’s battery recycling efforts. Together, the two organizations will work to secure a consistent feedstock of spent lithium-ion batteries to Blue Whale Materials’ advanced recycling facility.

Call2Recycle, which established itself within the battery collection space for more than 30 years, is adding Blue Whale Materials as a sorting and processing partner, bringing its nationwide collection network to the partnership. BWM’s proprietary process transforms these collected batteries into Blacksand, a premium black mass that is essential for refiners and battery materials manufacturers. The Bartlesville facility is already operational for sorting and testing and will start processing in mid-2025.

“This collaboration will allow Blue Whale Materials to support Call2Recycle’s unmatched collection network and expand our ability to meet the growing demand for responsible lithium-ion battery recycling,” said Robert Kang, Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Whale Materials. “By partnering with the leading battery collection organization in North America, we’re ensuring that Blue Whale Materials has access to the feedstock necessary to drive our long-term mission of supporting a sustainable and secure battery supply chain.”

“Our partnership with Blue Whale Materials is a natural fit,” added Leo Raudys, CEO of Call2Recycle. “With BWM’s cutting-edge technology and our expansive collection reach, we are setting the stage for a significant leap forward in battery recycling. Together, we will make a tangible impact on reducing waste and recovering valuable materials for future use.”