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Batteries & Accumulators

Different size batteries

Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators has been developed to make businesses that produce and sell batteries and accumulators responsible for the collection and recycling of the spent batteries. The new directive covers all types of batteries and accumulators unlike the previous legislation which only applied to batteries containing certain quantities of lead, mercury or cadmium and only covering approximately 7% of consumer batteries that are available on the European market. On average in the UK a household uses 21 batteries a year and all of these batteries could be recycled (WRAP). The UK has until September 2008 to put the requirements into national law.

The main aims of the Batteries and Accumulators Directive?

1 Minimise the negative impacts on the environment

2 Establish a good framework for the collection and recycling of batteries across Europe

3 Increase the recovery of materials

4 Reduce the amount of hazardous and non hazardous waste batteries going to landfill, as at present in the UK around 22,000 tonnes of batteries are sent to landfill each year, which is the equal weight of 110 jumbo jets (WRAP).

Portable battery collection will have to also comply with the hazardous waste regulations (Defra 2006).

Some useful definitions (EUROPA 2006):

- 'Portable battery or accumulator' means any battery or accumulator that is sealed and can be hand-carried, and is neither an industrial battery or accumulator nor an automotive battery or accumulator.

- 'Picture of batteries from Wraps site 1Automotive battery or accumulator' means any battery or accumulator used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition power

- 'Industrial battery or accumulator' means any battery or accumulator designed for exclusively industrial or professional uses or used in any type of electric vehicle

Key Requirements of the Batteries and Accumulators Directive:

1 For portable batteries a collection target of 25% of the average annual sales 4 years after the directive has been implemented in UK, rising to 45% 8 years after.

2 The cost of the collection will be the responsibility of the producers, which is defined as any person that places batteries on a national market in a professional capacity, although distributors may also be required to take back the batteries.

3 Producers of automotive batteries should set up a collection scheme for spent automotive batteries not covered under the end of life vehicles directive

4 Producers will also be required to fund customer information campaigns.

The directive bans the disposal of untreated industrial and automotive batteries and accumulators in landfill sites or by incineration. The placing on the market of batteries containing more than 0.0005% mercury and 0.002% cadmium by weight will also be banned (Defra 2007).

The material recovered from recycled batteries has various uses for instance recycled lead from lead acid batteries can be used in new batteries. However, portable battery recycling in the UK is new and therefore the markets are still developing and more work is needed to raise collection levels from the current 2-3% (Defra 2006).

Useful Referenced Links:

Defra (2006), Producer Responsibility: Batteries Directive, Frequently asked questions, www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/batteries/batteries-faqs.htm (Accessed 28/02/2007)

Defra (2007), Producer Responsibility: Batteries Directive,http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/batteries/index.htm (Accessed 1/02/2007)

DTI, Sustainable Development Batteries & Accumulators, www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/batteries/page30610.html (Accessed

02/02/2007)

EUROPA (2006), Directive 2006/66/EC, On Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators and Repealing Directive 91/157/EEC, eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_266/l_26620060926en00010014.pdf (Accessed 29/01/2007)

NET REGS: Batteries Directive:www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/legislation/380525/389181/?version=1&lang=_e (Accessed 29/01/2007)

WRAP, Battery Recycling Information: www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/batteries/battery_recycling_information/battery_facts_.html (Accessed 02/02/2007)