Syensqo has been recognized by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) with the 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award in the Circularity category, spotlighting its advances in critical metals recovery from used electric vehicle batteries.

 

The award was presented at the Responsible Care & Sustainability Conference on April 28, 2026, and highlights growing industry momentum toward circular battery value chains as EV adoption accelerates globally.

 

Syensqo earned the recognition for its CYANEX 936P technology, a solvent extraction solution designed to recover high-value metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. 

 

At pilot scale, the system achieved recovery of more than 90% of lithium from end-of-life batteries while cutting emissions by approximately 80% compared to conventional mining processes.

 

“This award recognizes our commitment to advancing circular solutions that enable more sustainable resource use and end-of-life treatment,” said Jesal Chopra, President of Syensqo’s Performance and Care Business Unit. 

 

“We are honored by this recognition from the ACC, which underscores the importance of innovative chemistry in addressing global resource challenges and building resilient battery supply chains.”

 

The CYANEX 936P system is designed to extract battery-grade lithium hydroxide from “black mass”—the shredded output of spent batteries—and is compatible with multiple chemistries, including nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP). 

 

The company says this flexibility can reduce waste and lower dependence on newly mined critical metals.

 

“The ability to efficiently recover high-purity lithium from multiple battery chemistries on a single processing line is a meaningful advancement for the industry,” added Laurent Cohen, Global Director, Strategic Development and Alliances at Syensqo. 

 

“It enables greater flexibility, reduces operational complexity, and accelerates the transition toward circular battery ecosystems.”

 

Syensqo said the development aligns with its “One Planet” sustainability roadmap, which targets expanded deployment of circular technologies across industries. The company aims for 18% of total net sales to come from circularity-enabling products by 2030.

 

A spokesperson for the company emphasized that the innovation reflects a broader push to support resource efficiency as demand for EV batteries continues to surge worldwide.