Ex­ide Tech­no­lo­gies will im­me­di­ately be­gin shut­ting down its em­battled bat­tery re­cyc­ling plant in Ver­non after reach­ing an agree­ment that al­lows the com­pany to avoid fa­cing crim­in­al pro­sec­u­tion for dec­ades of pol­lu­tion.