The UK Government has released a consultation (06 August) on the implementation of the amended Batteries Directive, proposing to amend the 2008 Regulations.
The original directive was introduced to improve the environmental performance of batteries and accumulators and minimise the impact of waste batteries and accumulators have on the environment and applies UK wide. It was a requirement of this directive that the European Commission reviews exemptions regarding certain batteries that contain mercury and cadmium.
Under the current regulations, there is an exemption on the ban of cadmium in cordless power tools and less than 2% mercury in weight in button cells.
In the proposed consultation, questions are asked relating to the impact and the cost of the amendments to the current batteries regulations.
The amended directive seeks to remove the exemption of the ban to the placing on the market of portable batteries and accumulators containing more than 0.002% of cadmium intended for use in cordless power tools. In order to enable the recycling industry and consumers to adapt to the relevant substitute technologies, this ban will apply from 1 January 2017.
The new law also prohibits the marketing of button cells with a mercury content of more than 2% by weight. This ban will apply from 1 October 2015 and the Commission will report to the European Parliament on the availability of alternatives to button cells for hearing aids. Batteries and accumulators lawfully placed on the market prior to the respective bans can still be marketed until stocks are exhausted.
The policy objectives and intended effects are:
-
To remove the cadmium and mercury exemptions over a reasonable period of time (from 31 December 2016 and 31 October 2015 respectively).
-
To diminish the amount of NiCd batteries in household waste which are released into the environment through landfill.
-
To help reduce the risk of mercury polluting the environment.
-
To increase competition and consumer choice by enabling consumers to go to independent qualified professionals, not exclusively those representing the manufacturers, for replacement of batteries in products.
After the consultation has closed, the government aims to publish a response in November. The intention is that the regulations will come into force from 1 July 2015.
We welcome members’ views and encourage them to contribute to the consultation. To get in touch to discuss this further you can email us at batteries@ecosurety.com.
Read about the consultation online here.
Colin Porter
Scheme Operations Lead
Colin joined in October 2011 and is now our Scheme operations lead. He's involved in operational planning and coordination for the scheme compliance regulation across all regulations and his impressive level of experience and expertise ensure that our scheme submissions are accurate and timely.
Useful links
The quarterly data reveals a total of 25,511 tonnes of portable batteries have so far been placed on the UK market this year, 14,738 of which have been collected and sent for treatment to Approved Battery Treatment Operators (ABTOs) or Exporters (ABEs).
Read More >>Provisional figures, published by the Environment Agency on 28 February, highlight the UK’s failure meet its 45% collection target for household batteries in 2017 – a shortfall of 0.12%.
Read More >>Campaign partner Currys PCWorld to collect used household batteries through network of home installation teams to help combat low recycling rates
Read More >>
