Press & Media

Viridis Recycling GmbH, a spin-off from the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS, has received approval under the German Federal Immission Control Act (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz, BImSchG) for its site in Hanau. The granting of this authorisation marks a significant milestone for the construction and operation of the recycling plant. It forms the legal basis for the future industrial recycling of lithium-ion batteries and battery waste at the Hanau site.

The automated recycling of flexible materials such as textiles, cables and fuel cell membranes from batteries poses major challenges for modern waste management. The new European research project "FlexCycle" focus-es on the development of innovative robotics and AI solutions. With a budget of €7.5 million and 12 partners from six countries, the project aims to make recycling processes for flexible materials suitable for industrial use. Over the next four years, autonomous systems will be developed that are capable of dismantling complex structures such as clothing, electrical cables and batteries and recovering valuable components.

The recycling industry faces major challenges, especially when it comes to sort-ing plastics. The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE invites anyone interested in this topic to an online seminar on October 2, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will focus on innovative sorting technol-ogies, which are considered key to improving the recycling of plastics.