Why Lansing matters
Ultium Cells cell plant and GM assembly. Active names in and around the city include Ultium Cells, General Motors.
Manufacturing clusters generate production scrap and off-spec cells during line ramp-up, warranty returns from early vehicles, and validation packs from test tracks. The material is usually single-chemistry and well documented, which makes it some of the cleanest feed in the network.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Serving site | Detroit — Michigan Closed-Loop Plant (Integrated Recovery Campus) |
| Pickup SLA | 72 hours |
| Coverage radius | 206 km |
| Collection cadence | Weekly or fortnightly scheduled scrap runs |
| Regulatory framework | EPA universal waste rules, DOT hazardous materials regulations and state programmes |
How collection works here
We run scheduled scrap collections from plant gates and tier-one suppliers, with dedicated bins per chemistry and a weighbridge reconciliation against each supplier's scrap log. Off-spec cells that never entered a vehicle are graded separately because their value profile is different from end-of-life packs.
Loads move in Class 9 compliant transport with pre-filled dangerous goods paperwork to Detroit, Michigan, where they are weighed, logged and graded.
- Cell and pack assembly plants
- Tier-one module suppliers
- Vehicle assembly lines
- Validation and test centres
What the rules require in United States
The US has no federal extended producer responsibility law for EV batteries. Lithium-ion batteries can be managed under EPA's universal waste rules, transport follows DOT PHMSA hazardous materials regulations, and states such as California and New Jersey are moving towards producer responsibility for EV batteries. Recycled material processed in North America can also count towards IRA critical mineral requirements.
Shipments follow DOT PHMSA 49 CFR requirements, with damaged or defective batteries under stricter special permits and packaging.
- Manage retired batteries under universal waste or state hazardous waste rules
- Package, mark and document shipments under 49 CFR hazardous materials rules
- Track state-specific EV battery take-back and reporting requirements
- Keep chain-of-custody evidence to support IRA critical mineral sourcing claims
Field note
What you get paid and what you file
Settlement is quoted per pack after measured state of health, not by guesswork on age. Modules holding 75% or more of rated capacity settle at second-life rates; the remainder settle against black mass metal content.
Certificates carry achieved recovery percentages and downstream vendor disclosure for reporting under EPA universal waste rules, DOT hazardous materials regulations and state programmes.