UAE’s first battery recycling plant to power circular economy

Image: Dubai Media Office

The UAE officially opened its first fully integrated battery recycling plant, marking a significant step towards a circular economy and sustainable industrial development.

Launched by Dubatt Battery Recycling, the Dhs 120m facility has been inaugurated at Dubai Industrial City, part of the TECOM Group and among the region’s largest manufacturing hubs.

With a built-up area of 65,000 square feet, the first-of-its-kind plant features advanced battery breaking, separating, smelting and refining technologies to safely extract hazardous waste from used lead acid batteries, recycling up to 80 per cent of battery waste produced in the UAE to manufacture lead ingots.

The ingots manufactured will be used to produce new batteries, creating a circular economy that furthers the UAE’s sustainability agenda in line with the goals of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s Operation 300bn programme.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said: “Dubatt’s opening emphasises the manufacturing sector’s pivotal role in achieving circular economy goals.”

Battery products manufactured at the end of the production cycle will be sold domestically and exported, aligning with the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiative.

Dubatt also inked a ‘musataha’ agreement during the ceremony with the aim to expand the plant, raising its total investment at Dubai Industrial City to Dhs216m.

The launch follows months of trials to complete approval and audit processes with government and environmental stakeholders, and its planned expansion, spanning 50,000 square feet of built-up area, is expected to raise Dubatt’s turnover to Dhs200m.

Once completed, the Dhs96m expansion will raise the factory’s lead acid battery recycling capacity to 75,000 metric tonnes (MT) a year. It will enable the introduction of dedicated lines for lead billets, wires and lead shots, and a grinding, and granulation line for 3,600 MT of battery plastics, 5,000 MT of lithium batteries and 7,000 MT of e-waste.

Recycling plant aligns with the UAE’s circular economy goals

Shamsudheen Binmohideen, chairman of Dubatt, added: “The UAE generates around 72,000 to 96,000 tonnes of used batteries every year, and this encouraged us to develop a homegrown solution to ensure their proper recycling.

“Dubatt’s project aims to energise the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2041 by leveraging Dubai Industrial City’s supportive ecosystem, including its proximity to Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport, and an Etihad Rail freight terminal. We are pleased to formally launch our operations and contribute to the UAE’s sustainability goals.”

The improper disposal of battery scrap can contaminate soil and groundwater, which is an environmental and health hazard. According to Dubatt’s estimates, around 90 per cent of the lead acid battery scrap generated in the UAE is exported for recycling.

The opening of the factory ligns with the UAE’s circular economy agenda (which is committed to diverting 75 per cent of waste from landfill) and “valorisation of industrial waste” policy, which was recently approved by the UAE, with the aim of encouraging the reuse of industrial waste.