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

24.2 Policy Context and Reason for Introduction
The Batteries Directive is a Producer Responsibility Initiative (similar to WEEE, RoHS,
packaging, end of life vehicles and tyres) whereby the person who places the product
on the market has responsibility for financing the collection, storage, recycling and
treatment of the product when it becomes waste.
Any person who supplies batteries to the Irish market, whether as retailers, importers
or manufacturers has obligations.
For example:
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� Retailers must now take back waste batteries free of charge of the type that
they sell – for instance, if one sells portable batteries such as types AAA, AA,
Cell C, Cell D, or PP3. Retailers who only see portable batteries one will not be
obliged to take back automotive, industrial or small sealed lead acid batteries
for alarms;
� Retailers of automotive and industrial batteries must register with their local
authority; and
� Retailers may deposit waste portable batteries free of charge at local authority
civic amenity facilities. 526
Consumers should not throw waste batteries into the household waste or recycling
bin, but avail of the free recycling that will be available at all retail outlets that supply
batteries, and at civic amenity sites. 527
Automotive and industrial batteries are much more homogenous in composition than
portable batteries, nearly all consisting of lead acid batteries. Due to the high
proportion of lead in these batteries and the inherent value of this material recycling
of these battery categories is common practice and as such collection rates are
already very high (in excess of 90%).
While lead prices are subject to fluctuations, the collection infrastructure for these
batteries is well established and as such the main emphasis of the Directive is to
increase the number of portable batteries collected for recycling.
24.3 When was the Policy Introduced?
The Directive was implemented in full in Ireland on the 26 th September 2008 – the
deadline required to transpose the Directive into national law.
526 DoEHLG (2008) Waste Batteries and the Retailer,
www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/ProducerResponsibilityObiligation/Batteries
527 EPA (2008) Waste Batteries and Accumulators, www.epa.ie/whatwedo/resource/battery/
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes