SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean and Canadian companies are set to collaborate on battery recycling and circular economy projects, focusing on extending the lifespan of batteries and developing sustainable practices.
The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) announced on January 14 that it will co-host a “Korea-Canada Battery Circular Economy Seminar and B2B Meeting” in Seoul with the Canadian Embassy.
The event, proposed by the Canadian Embassy, aims to facilitate discussions between battery-related companies from both nations on various collaboration possibilities, including extending battery life, reusing electric vehicle components, and extracting lithium from brine and wastewater.
The initiative comes as global demand for battery recycling continues to rise. The European Union’s Sustainable Battery Law will require manufacturers to use recycled materials in battery production as early as 2031, with specific targets of 16% for cobalt, 6% for lithium, and 6% for nickel.
Tech giant Apple has also announced its commitment to use 100% recycled cobalt in all its batteries by the end of this year, reflecting a worldwide trend toward battery material recycling.
Canada is actively promoting these collaborative efforts through its Asia-Pacific Initiative for Clean Technology Deployment (AICTD), a program that offers support to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises conducting technology demonstration projects with local companies in the Indo-Pacific region.
The program offers funding ranging from 50 million to 300 million won per project. Canadian officials are particularly focused on linking AICTD with battery recycling initiatives to develop specific cooperation models with Korean companies.
KITECH plans to support technology verification when Canadian companies pursue demonstration projects with Korean businesses. The institute also intends to facilitate AICTD expansion through its overseas offices in Vietnam and Indonesia.
“We will work to create specific cooperation models that can be linked with Canada’s AICTD program and strive to develop both countries into strategic partners in the battery circular economy,” said Lee Sang Mok, president of KITECH.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)