UK battery producers face deadline

The UK‘s battery producers will soon be expected to be appropriately registered and meeting their environmental responsibilities according to the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009. The rules state that those who manufacture, import or produce one tonne of batteries ? or those who place products containing batteries onto the UK market ? will be responsible for the collection, treatment and recycling of the waste batteries in proportion to their market share.

All producers had to join a compliance scheme on the 15 October this year, and these schemes will be monitored by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Environment Agency (UK) or the Department of Environment Northern Ireland. Producers manufacturing less than one tonne of batteries per year are not subject to the new rules but must join the National Producer Responsibility Database.

2007 saw just 3% of batteries being recycled and the rest going to landfill. The UK is aiming to meet targets of 25% recycling of batteries by 2012 and 45% by 2016. Batteries contain harmful chemicals which can leak into the ground causing soil and water pollution.