Munich-based startup, tozero, has launched Europe's first industrial battery recycling plant at Chemical Park Gendorf in Bavaria. The demo plant processes 1,500 tonnes of battery waste a year and produces 100 tonnes of high-purity lithium carbonate annually, at costs twice as competitive as conventional miners. A full-scale facility capable of processing 45,000 tonnes per year is planned for 2030. Tozero’s proprietary acid-free hydrometallurgical process produces materials pure enough to feed directly back into battery cell manufacturing without further refinement. The company's commercial milestones include being the first company in Europe to deliver recycled lithium to commercial customers in 2025 and qualifying 100% recycled graphite for use in lithium-ion battery cell production at industrial scale.