Why Sao Paulo matters
South American EV assembly and fleet base. Active names in and around the city include BYD Brazil, GWM Brazil, Volkswagen do Brasil.
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 | 24 hours |
| Coverage radius | 104 km |
| Collection cadence | Weekly or fortnightly scheduled scrap runs |
| Regulatory framework | National Solid Waste Policy (Law 12,305/2010) and CONAMA Resolution 401/2008 |
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 Brazil
Brazil's National Solid Waste Policy requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of batteries to set up reverse logistics systems. CONAMA rules set handling requirements for batteries, and state agencies license treatment sites. Specific rules for EV traction batteries are still developing, so larger packs are usually managed under hazardous waste licensing and sector agreements.
Road transport of dangerous goods is regulated by ANTT, with lithium-ion batteries classed as Class 9.
- Take part in a reverse logistics system for the batteries you place on the market
- Use environmentally licensed collectors, transporters and processors
- Keep records for state and federal reporting
- Classify end-of-life packs correctly as hazardous waste before movement
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 National Solid Waste Policy (Law 12,305/2010) and CONAMA Resolution 401/2008.