Batteries Directive Proposal Published

The European Commission has published the proposed new battery directive that will require the collection and recycling of all batteries placed on the EU market. The directive prevents spent batteries from ending up in incinerators or landfills and recovers metals used in batteries.

The existing directive (91/157/EEC) covering batteries has a limited scope since it only applies to those with a certain mercury, cadmium, and lead content. Those batteries are classified as “hazardous waste” on the basis of the European Waste List. This directive only covers 7% of all portable batteries placed on the EU market annually.

An extended impact assessment of the new directive, carried out by the European Commission, has also been published, identifying the proposed measures as the most sustainable policy options from environmental, economic and social points of view.

The European Commission has also published a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the proposed battery directive at http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/batteries/031125_qa.pdf.