Our history

Our history

Our company was founded in 1989 to provide a treatment center for batteries collected from the general public in Switzerland; some containing mercury. Since then, we can treat all types of mercury waste and a new activity around the reactivation of spent activated carbon has been developed.

1989
The evolution
BATREC was founded in 1989 by a group of companies and interested stakeholders. Various Cantons quickly joined the project as shareholders or fund donors. The battery recycling facility was created in 1991. Following a need for respectful treatment of mercury in batteries, BATREC built its mercury distillation facility.
1989
2003
Lithium batteries
It is about finding treatment solutions for lithium batteries. So, in 2003, BATREC created a lithium battery recycling process was the subject of a patent application. This process therefore passes from the test phase to normal production start-up.
2003
2005
Activated carbon and absorbents
In 2005, BATREC built a new furnace for the treatment of absorbents from the oil and gas industry (spent catalysts). A second, more efficient and larger kiln was built in 2008. In 2021, we commissioned our third kiln.
2005
2013
SARPI-VEOLIA
In 2013, BATREC officially joined VEOLIA as part of SARP Industries. SARP Industries is specialised within the Veolia Group in the treatment of hazardous waste. SARPI is present in 6 geographical areas and treats more than 46 million tons of hazardous waste per year.
2013