SER Group launches Cellcycle for medical imaging battery recycling

Manchester-based IT recycling business The SER Group, has launched Cellcycle Ltd, a specialist battery recycling division, to process Lithium - Ion (Li-ion) medical diagnostic and imaging machine batteries and recycle end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap.

As the development of portable MRI and other scanning technology devices advances, NHS Trusts, private hospitals, and other healthcare facilities need to replace legacy diagnostic imaging and scanning machines. This requires that Li-ion batteries be dismantled, and its components recycled in a specialist facility that complies with internationally recognised accreditation benchmarks.

Cellcycle’s facility will dismantle batteries before the mechanical and chemical separation recycling processes are completed. When fully dismantled and disassembled, there are several applications for the recyclable extracted raw materials – for example, cobalt can be used within the chemical industries, lithium is recycled for rechargeable batteries, copper for electrical wiring, and aluminium for cans and foils.

Cellcycle will offer a circular economy solution and will try to create an ethical and sustainable supply chain for redundant medical device, imaging and scanning equipment batteries that will be necessary when transitioning to a Net Zero future.

Gary Mo, managing director the SER Group said: “The battery market in the UK is growing exponentially and with the introduction of new legislation, the demand for battery recycling innovation in the UK by NHS Trust Hospitals, Private Healthcare providers and other medical facilities, is rapidly rising.

“Moreover, we, as a nation, will not reach carbon neutrality without increasing our investment and development of new technologies and recycling opportunities, therefore establishing Cellcycle Ltd. was a priority for us.”

Currently, many hospitals in the UK export their end-of-life and redundant medical batteries to Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world for material-level recycling and face heavy transportation costs associated with that service.

Cellcycle Ltd. will now change that, according to its battery division director, Jeff Borrman.

“We are aiming to provide every medical facility and healthcare facility with a closed-loop battery recycling process directly here in the UK that will not only be cost effective for customers but more sustainable too.

“With a reduction in the requirement to export, transportation costs will be kept to a minimum, but more importantly, recovering valuable materials from a range of different types of batteries like lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride whilst maintaining a zero-carbon footprint is key to progressing towards compliance with the UK’s Green Agenda.

“The valuable materials that are recovered through this process will help provide manufacturers and other businesses within the UK battery supply-chain with the resources to produce new, more sustainable battery technology.”