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BIS, the Environment Agency (EA), SEPA and NIEA have worked together to deliver an integrated system to support batteries registration and reporting.
Producers of industrial and automotive batteries in the UK can register themselves using the batteries registration system on the Environment Agency website (please see the written guidance documents below to find out if you are defined in the legislation as producer).
Consultation Implementation of the Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators Directive – Waste Battery Collection and Recycling Provisions
Starting Date 22-12-2008
Closing Date 13-2-2009
BERR, Defra and the Devolved Administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales sought views on draft regulations for UK implementation of provisions relating to waste batteries in Directive 2006/66/EC on Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators.
The Government and the Devolved Administrations are seeking the views of producers, distributors, collectors and recyclers of batteries and accumulators and items containing batteries and accumulators, and any other interested parties, on the proposed approach for implementing provisions in the Directive relating to the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste portable, automotive and industrial batteries and accumulators. Responses to this consultation will help Government finalise the legislation that is needed to transpose these provisions into UK law.
This was the second public consultation on these aspects of the Directive. The first consultation (URN 07/710), which addressed all aspects of UK implementation of the Directive, was published on 20 December 2007 (7 January 2008 in Northern Ireland). A Government response to that consultation was published in July 2008.
The Government has already consulted for a second time on the internal market aspects of the Directive (URN 08/913) in order that legislation addressing those requirements could be laid in Parliament and take effect from 26 September 2008.
Unofficial note of the October 2008 Batteries and Accumulators TAC held in Brussels on 20 October 2008.
UK Regulations (SI No. 2008/2164) implementing the internal (single) market provisions of the Batteries Directive were laid in Parliament on 15 August 2008. These Regulations will be published on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website on or around 21 August 2008.
A Government guidance document intended to give advice on these new requirements is available here:
(137KB)
A Government guidance document intended to give advice on the Waste Battery and Accumulator Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/890) is available here:
Please note that the Scottish Regulations referred to in the notes are subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament.
Closed consultations on the batteries Directive may still be seen with the Government’s written responses in the “Closed with Response” part of the Consultations section of this website.
On 26 September 2006 the agreed text of Directive 2006/66/EC on Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Directive repeals the existing Batteries Directive 91/157/EEC which in comparison had a more limited range of provisions.
The Directive aims to maximise the separate collection and recycling of spent batteries and accumulators, and to reduce the disposal of batteries and accumulators in the municipal waste stream. This aspiration is consistent with the UK Government sustainable development and waste strategies.
Key requirements of the Directive include:
On 10 January 2007 the Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) and Defra arranged a "Futurefocus" event at the BERR offices in London. 19 invited industry representatives took part in a "brainstorming" event looking into possible implications of the Directive for the UK. Participants were given the opportunity to comment on a series of questions on an anonymous basis. A report showing the full range of comments made during the workshop is attached.
Batteries & Accumulators Directive: Implementation Workshop: 10 January 2007.In February 2003 the European Commission consulted Member States on a revision of the Batteries Directive. For more details
In November 2003 the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new Directive on batteries and accumulators and spent batteries and accumulators.
Cion Proposal com2003 0723en01The main objectives of the proposal were to contribute to a high level of environmental protection and the proper functioning of the internal market, which the European Commission believes the existing Batteries Directives have failed to do.
The proposal, unlike existing Community legislation on batteries, applied to all batteries and accumulators, with the exception of those used for military applications, regardless of chemical composition, use or size. The existing Batteries Directives covered an estimated 7% of all portable batteries placed on the EU market annually, and have failed to provide a framework for battery collection and recycling. The Commission estimates that in 2002, 45.5% of all portable batteries sold in the EU went to final disposal, primarily in landfill where they pose the greatest environmental risk due to the hazardous substances contained in some batteries.
In May 2004 the Government consulted stakeholders on the Commission's proposal in order to inform its negotiating position. A summary of responses to this consultation was published.
Summary of responses to Battery ConsultationExplanatory Memorandum produced by the Government to set out the provisions of the Commission proposal, as submitted to Parliament in December 2003. Explanatory Memoranda are submitted to Parliament to explain the context and implications of all new policy proposals.
Draft Batteries Directive- Explanatory MemorandumA partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) was produced for the draft Directive and sets out the benefits of the draft legislation along with estimated costs of compliance in comparison to current practice.
Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment of the proposed Batteries DirectiveIn 2000 the Government commissioned a study on the potential environmental and financial impacts of a possible new European Directive on batteries.
Analysis of the environmental impact and financial costs of a possible new European directive on batteries: executive summary.The Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform supported a voluntary battery collection and recycling pilot scheme in Bristol, launched in September 2002. In September 2003 the campaign completed a highly success pilot year. Click here for details.
Batteries recyclingThis specifies that batteries containing mercury, cadmium or lead should be collected separately when spent and should carry an identifying label. The Directive also sets permissible heavy metal limits, and requires certain battery-powered equipment to be designed in such a way as to make their batteries easily removable. (Ref. OJ L 078 26.03.1991 p.38)
Specifies which symbol the above batteries should carry, viz. a crossed-out wheelie bin, as well as the appropriate chemical symbol. (Ref. OJ L 264 23.10.1993 p.51)
This Decision reduces the permissible limit of mercury in all primary and secondary cells to 0.0005% and prohibits, from 1.1.2000 at the latest, the marketing of batteries not meeting this limit. It also prohibits, from the same date, the marketing of button cells containing more than 2% mercury by weight. (Ref. OJ L 001 05.01.1991 p.1)
The Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) Regulations 1994. This SI prohibits the sale of (most) alkaline batteries containing over 0.025% mercury, stipulates that all batteries covered by Directive 91/157/EEC carry the appropriate chemical symbol as well as the crossed out wheelie bin, and sets down design requirements for certain battery-powered equipment.
Available from Stationery Office-formerly HMSO tel. 020 7873 9090 or fax 020 7873 8200 and Stationery Office web site at: http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19940232_en_1.htm
The Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2000. Available from the Stationery Office web site.
The Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2001. This SI transposes Commission Directive 98/101/EC (see above) into UK law. Available from the Stationery Office web site.
(BERR is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of these links)
British Battery Manufacturers Association
European Battery Recyclers Association
Peter Cottrell, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BERR) 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET, Tel 020 7215 1330, E-mail peter.cottrell@bis.gsi.gov.uk
Louise Leighton, Producer Responsibility Unit, Waste Management Division, DEFRA, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL, Tel 020 7238 5812, E-mail Louise.leighton@defra.gsi.gov.uk
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