The project builds on an initiative started in 2025 to recover precious metals from decommissioned chlor-alkali electrolysis cells and electrodes. The goal is to digitally map the entire lifecycle of recycled metals—from collection and processing through refining to reuse in newly produced electrodes.
Iridium is a bottleneck in the hydrogen industry
Precious metals like iridium and ruthenium are currently indispensable materials for electrodes in chlor-alkali electrolysis as well as for applications in the semiconductor industry, electronics, and specialty chemicals. The scaling of hydrogen technologies, particularly PEM electrolyzers (Proton Exchange Membrane), is expected to increase demand in the future. The International Platinum Group Metals Association (IPA) estimates the global annual primary production of iridium at only about seven tons, with the annual supply of ruthenium at around 30 tons. Both raw materials are mainly obtained as by-products of platinum.
Feasibility of recycling proven in theory—now comes the practical test
As early as 2025, Asahi Kasei and Circularise demonstrated the technical feasibility using a simulated recycling scenario. In the launched practical phase, Furuya Metal is on board as a recycling partner. The project partners aim to increase transparency along the supply chain and facilitate the documentation of recycling shares. Initially, traceability along the recycling chain is to be established—from the collection of used electrodes through precious metal extraction and refining to the production of recycled metal. Subsequently, traceability will be extended to downstream process steps by linking material data with the production of new electrodes.
“Together we are laying the foundation for a closed material cycle and robust digital traceability,” says Yoshifumi Kado, Senior General Manager of the Ion Exchange Membrane & Electrolysis System Division at Asahi Kasei. In the long term, the companies see potential applications for the solution outside the chlor-alkali industry, such as in electrolysis systems for hydrogen production and other applications with critical raw materials. The goal is a scalable model for greater resource efficiency, supply security, and circular economy.
Traceability is important for sustainability standards
The Dutch company Circularise offers a platform for product traceability with a focus on compliance and sustainability in supply chains. Companies can use the platform to capture supply chain data and track materials and products to meet regulatory requirements such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) or certification standards like ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS. The AI-supported platform enables end-to-end traceability beyond direct suppliers, supports functions such as chain-of-custody and mass-balance automation, Digital Product Passports, and the secure capture, management, and sharing of data.
Furuya Metal specializes in processing platinum group metals (PGMs) into industrial products, from raw material procurement through high-purity refining technologies, advanced processing techniques to industrial-scale recycling solutions.
The Japanese Asahi Kasei Group originated in 1922 from the business with ammonia and cellulose fibers. With 50,000 employees and the three business sectors of Healthcare, Homes, and Material, the company is now a large diversified industrial group.
