The American Chemistry Council recognized Syensqo with the 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award in the circularity category for developing breakthrough technology that recovers critical metals from used electric vehicle batteries. The chemical company received this prestigious honour at the Responsible Care and Sustainability Conference on April 28, 2026.
"This award recognizes our commitment to advancing circular solutions that enable more sustainable resource use and end-of-life treatment," Jesal Chopra, president of Syensqo performance and care, said. "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 American Chemistry Council's Sustainability Leadership Awards recognize member companies that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability through innovative products, processes, or programs. Winners undergo rigorous evaluation based on environmental impact, innovation, and potential for broader industry adoption.
Electric vehicle demand continues climbing worldwide, creating urgent pressure to find better ways to handle batteries when they reach the end of their useful life. Syensqo addressed this challenge by developing CYANEX 936P, a specialized product that transforms how companies extract valuable materials from spent lithium-ion batteries.
During pilot testing, the innovative solution recovered more than 90 percent of lithium while cutting emissions by approximately 80 percent compared to traditional mining operations. These results demonstrate the technology's potential to reshape how the industry approaches battery recycling.
Versatile technology handles multiple battery types
Engineers designed CYANEX 936P to work within solvent extraction processes, where it selectively recovers battery-grade lithium hydroxide from shredded end-of-life battery material called black mass. The technology works with materials from all battery chemistries, though it proves particularly effective with nickel-manganese-cobalt and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.
This versatility offers recycling companies significant advantages over existing approaches. Traditional recovery methods often require separate processing lines for different battery types, increasing costs and operational complexity.
"The ability to efficiently recover high-purity lithium from multiple battery chemistries on a single processing line is a meaningful advancement for the industry," explained 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."
Advancing circular economy goals
The award highlights Syensqo's broader sustainability strategy outlined in its One Planet roadmap. The company focuses on developing technologies that support circular economy principles while delivering high performance across key industries.
Syensqo established an ambitious target to generate 18 percent of total net sales from products that enable circularity for customers by 2030, according to details in its 2024-2025 Impact Report. The CYANEX 936P technology represents one example of how the company plans to achieve this goal.
The recognition comes at a critical time for the battery industry. Growing electric vehicle adoption creates increasing volumes of batteries that will eventually require recycling, while supply chain concerns highlight the importance of domestic materials recovery. Solutions like CYANEX® 936P help address both challenges by reducing waste while decreasing dependence on newly mined metals.
Battery recycling companies face mounting pressure to improve their environmental performance while maintaining economic viability. Technologies that can handle multiple battery types on single processing lines while achieving high recovery rates offer compelling business advantages alongside environmental benefits.
More information is posted at www.Syensqo.com/en
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