|
Proposal for a Directive on Batteries and Accumulators
Background
Around 800,000 tonnes of automotive batteries, 190,000 tonnes of industrial batteries and 160,000 tonnes of portable batteries are sold in the EU every year.
The European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Batteries and Accumulators aims to prevent the disposal of batteries by requiring the separate collection and recycling of batteries.
The proposal can be found on the European Commission’s web site:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/batteries/index.htm
Automotive batteries
Automotive batteries and accumulators are mainly lead-acid batteries used for automotive starter, lighting and ignition power for vehicles.
Industrial batteries
Industrial batteries and accumulators are mainly lead acid batteries and accumulators (96%) and a small percentage (2%) of industrial nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries.
Portable batteries
Portable batteries comprise non-rechargeable general purpose batteries (mainly zinc-carbon and alkaline manganese batteries), non rechargeable button cells and rechargeable batteries and accumulators (mainly nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, lithium ion and sealed lead-acid batteries).
The proposed Directive
The proposed Directive on Batteries and Accumulators is a further extension of producer responsibility, and contains measures to ensure the collection and recycling spent batteries. Additional measures are proposed with respect to batteries containing mercury, cadmium and lead, which are classified as hazardous waste.
Collection
Member States will be required to set up schemes to ensure that all batteries and accumulators are collected for recycling. The disposal of industrial and automotive batteries and accumulators in landfills or by incineration will be prohibited.
Producers will be expected to take back spent industrial batteries with spent automotive batteries and accumulators also able to be collected through schemes set up under the End of Life Vehicles Directive. Producers will be able to meet the requirements of the Directive either through individual or collective schemes.
National collection schemes will need to meet the uniform target for the collection of all spent portable (consumer) batteries and accumulators of a minimum of 160 grams per inhabitant per year. In addition, Member States will be required to collect 80% of spent portable NiCd batteries and accumulators arising each year.
Treatment
The Directive will set minimum requirements for the treatment of spent batteries, and treatment facilities must use the best available recycling techniques. Batteries and accumulators can be exported for treatment and recovery in other Member States or third countries in conformity with the Waste Shipments Regulation.
Recycling
The proposed Directive requires that collected batteries enter a recycling process to meet the following targets:
- recycling of all the lead and a minimum of 65% by average weight of the materials contained in lead-acid batteries and accumulators;
- recycling of all the cadmium and a minimum of 75% by average weight of the materials contained in nickel-cadmium batteries and accumulators;
- recycling of 55% by average weight of the materials contained in other spent batteries and accumulators.
Financing
Producers will be responsible for financing the management of spent batteries and accumulators. For portable batteries and accumulators, producers will be responsible from at least the collection point onwards.
As with the WEEE Directive, producers will be required to provide a guarantee for the financing of the waste management of batteries and accumulators. For historic waste, final industrial users could also be made financially responsible.
Costs
The European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) reports that the collection and transportation costs in each of the Member States that have already set up efficient collection schemes for all portable batteries and accumulators are relatively stable at €300-550 per tonne. The cost of recycling portable batteries and accumulators ranges from €400 to €900 per tonne.
The most cost-efficient collection rate for all portable batteries ranges between 160-200 grams per inhabitant per year. The total costs of collecting, sorting and recycling related to this collection rate is estimated to be €1,386 - €1,846 per tonne.
Revenue from the sale of recycled lead from spent automotive batteries and accumulators amounted to €265-€350 per tonne in the period 1995-1999. Compared to the total costs of collecting and recycling those batteries, which vary between €270 and €350 per tonne, net cost/revenues range from €–77 to €+93 per tonne. The average net cost of collecting and recycling industrial NiCd batteries and accumulators ranges from €0 to €300 per tonne.
Next steps
The DTi has recently undertaken a consultation on the proposed Directive and has set up an information resource on batteries:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/ep/batteries.htm
The proposal will receive its second reading in the European Parliament in 2005, and it is unlikely the proposal will be adopted until 2006. It is expected that collection and recycling targets would apply 4 years after the Directive enters into force.
September 2004
|
