New legislation has been published which describes how battery producers must aid the collection and recycling of waste batteries. The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations SI 2009/890, require anyone placing batteries on the market to register as a producer and report on waste batteries collected and sent for recycling. It also lays out requirements for the treatment and recycling of batteries.
Ian Pearson, an economic and business minister from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) said, "These Regulations will help reduce the environmental impact of batteries and accumulators which contain potentially harmful material. We are committed to helping minimise the impact on the environment of this kind of waste and this is the latest measure to help us achieve a cleaner environment."
The Government has a target of collecting waste portable batteries equivalent to 25% of sales by 2012 and 45% by 2016. To meet these targets, battery producers must join a battery compliance scheme (BCS), which will inform consumers how to return batteries for recycling. From February 2010, some retailers of household batteries will have to accept waste batteries in-store. The new legislation comes into force on 5 May 2009, with the first compliance period beginning at the start of 2010. Throughout the rest of this year, BERR expects potential BCSs to sign up with the relevant environment agencies, recruit battery producers and work out how the collection and recycling of the batteries is to take place.
The legislation compliments the Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations SI 2008/2164, which came into force on 26 September 2008, and prohibits certain levels of heavy metals in new batteries and accumulators.
