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Batteries & Accumulators

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 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 Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators Directive (2006/66/EC) aims to:

  • Restrict the use of cadmium and Mercury in the design and manufacture of new batteries (subject to exemption and review).
  • Introduce labelling requirements – all new batteries to be marked with a crossed out wheeled bin symbol and the appropriate chemical symbol where applicable.
  • Mandatory registration of all ‘producers’ e.g. manufacturers or importers of batteries into the UK.
  • Introduce collection targets for waste portable batteries of 25% of average annual sales in the UK by 2012, rising to 45% in 2016.
  • Introduce a ban on the disposal of untreated automotive and industrial batteries in landfill or by incineration.
  • Require ‘producers’ or third parties acting on their behalf to arrange for the collection and recycling of waste industrial and automotive batteries.
  • Require ‘producers’ or third parties acting on their behalf to arrange for the collection and recycling and/or sound disposal of waste portable batteries deposited at collection facilities.

What is a Battery?

The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 SI 890 set out rules for collecting, treating and recycling all types of batteries in the UK.

"Battery" refers to primary (single use) portable and secondary battery cells (rechargeable, accumulators).

Portable batteries are sealed batteries or battery packs that you can carry, including: Different size batteries

  • Primary (non-rechargeable) batteries
  • Secondary (rechargeable) batteries
  • Button cells
  • Batteries in household appliances.

Industrial batteries are batteries or battery packs that are:

  • Designed exclusively for professional or industrial uses, e.g. as backup or emergency electricity supply
  • Used to power machines and vehicles such as forklifts or wheelchairs
  • Unsealed but are not automotive batteries, or
  • Sealed but are not portable batteries.

Automotive batteries are used in vehicles, such as cars, vans, lorries, buses, boats and other types of transport for starters, lighting and ignition (excluding key fobs).

Who is Affected?

You must comply with the batteries regulations and may have obligations if your business:

  • Manufactures batteries or equipment containing batteries
  • Imports batteries into the UK for sale
  • Distributes and sells batteries 
  • Uses batteries
  • Collects waste batteries
  • Treats, recycles or exports waste batteries.

Retailers and distributors

From 1st February 2010, any business that sells more than 32kg of portable batteries per year in an individual store, over the internet or via mail order is required to take back used batteries from the public free of charge. Picture of batteries from Wraps site 1

Businesses must:

  • Provide customers with information about take-back facilities (e.g. at sales point) 
  • Accept all types of portable batteries – not just the ones sold 
  • Provide the take-back facility free of charge to the public (i.e. it is not required for customers to purchase goods in store to return used portable batteries)

Businesses do not have to accept used portable batteries, if:

  • The batteries sold are only in equipment containing batteries and you do not also sell batteries separately
  • Less than 32kg of portable batteries are sold per year.

To help businesses determine the weight of batteries they supply, Defra has developed an online calculator: Defra Batteries Calculator 

Producers and importers

Businesses that manufacture portable batteries in the UK, or import portable batteries or products that contain them also have obligations.

Large Producers (who place more than one tonne of portable batteries on the UK market) must:

  • Join a Battery Compliance Scheme to pay for the collection, treatment and recycling of waste batteries in proportion to your market share.
  • Record data on the weight of batteries placed on the market from 5th May 2009. This will be divided into three groups – nickel cadmium, lead acid and ‘other’ batteries. This information is provided to the Environment Agency by the Battery Compliance Scheme.

Small producers (who place one tonne or less of portable batteries on the UK market) must:

  • Register with the Environmental Agency within 28 days of the first date on or after 15th October 2009 on which you place any batteries onto the UK market.
  • Record data on the weight of batteries placed on the market since 5th May 2009 and provide this information to the Environment Agency. This will be divided into three groups – nickel cadmium, lead acid and ‘other’ batteries.

Businesses that place industrial and/or automotive batteries - or products containing industrial and/or automotive batteries - onto the UK market must register with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The amount of batteries placed on the market must also be recorded.

Waste battery treatment operators and exporters

Any business involved in dealing with waste batteries, such as:

  • Treating and recycling waste industrial and/or automotive batteries;
  • Exporting waste industrial and/or automotive batteries for treatment and/or recycling overseas;
  • issuing batteries evidence notes for waste portable batteries that have been treated and/or recycled in the UK;
  • issuing batteries evidence notes for waste portable batteries that have been treated and/or recycled overseas.

must apply for approval from the Environment Agency.

Consumers

Recycling facilities will be available to consumers for all portable household batteries from February 2010. Information on how and where to recycle batteries can be found at DirectGov - Battery Recycling Facilities

Targets

Summary of Batteries Directive Targets

Website References

  6. Northern Ireland, Department of Environment, Batteries http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/protect_the_environment/waste/batteries.htm 
  7. Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), Waste Batteries and Accumulators, http://www.epa.ie/whatwedo/resource/battery/