International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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the European Union. Apart from losing out on valuable secondary raw
materials, this is especially worrisome since inadequately treated products
pose major environmental and health risks. The illegal trade to non-EU
countries also continues to be widespread. Moreover many electrical and
electronic products not complying with the substance restrictions have been
found in the EU.
With regard to bullet point 2 above, it proposed that the collection target be altered
from 4 kg per annum per inhabitant to a 65% collection rate, calculated according to
the average amount of EEE placed on the market in the two preceding years. In
addition, in order to encourage the re-use of whole appliances, it is proposed that
such re-use be included within the 65% target. The proposal also goes further than
bullet point 3, suggesting that Member States should, where appropriate, encourage
producers to finance all the cost occurring for collection facilities for business to
consumer WEEE.
1.4.1.4 Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators
Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and
accumulators outlines three distinct battery classifications – industrial, automotive
and portable (usually defined as sealed and hand carried). While it is clear which
sector of the economy industrial batteries belong, portable batteries are used across
consumer, commercial and industrial sectors (though the vast majority are used in
consumer applications). Automotive batteries also straddle all three sectors.
As noted in the Directive, “batteries” is used to mean single-life batteries (sometimes
also referred to as ‘primary’ batteries), and “accumulators” to mean rechargeable
batteries (sometimes also referred to as ‘secondary’ batteries). In this report
“batteries” is taken to mean both batteries and accumulators, unless otherwise
specified.
The intended impact of the Batteries Directive is to improve the environmental
performance of batteries and of the activities of all economic operators involved in
the life cycle of batteries. Key provisions of the Directive are:
� Restrictions on the use of mercury (0.0005%) and cadmium (0.0002%) in all
batteries by weight (with the exception of button cells at 2%);
� Labelling requirements for new batteries to aid consumer choice and recycling;
� A 25% collection rate for waste portable batteries to be met by September
2012, rising to 45% by September 2016. Note that the collection rate is not
the same as a recycling rate;
� A prohibition on the disposal by landfill or incineration of waste industrial and
automotive batteries – in effect setting a 100% collection and recycling target;
� The introduction of “producer responsibility” obligations;
� The setting of recycling efficiencies to ensure that a high proportion of the
weight of waste batteries is recycled (65% of lead acid batteries, 75% of
nickel-cadmium batteries and 50% of other waste batteries); and
� The setting of waste battery treatment standards.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes