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

Directive 2000/53/EC on End of Life Vehicles (ELV) aims to reduce the amount of
waste from vehicles when they are finally scrapped. It also sets higher reuse, recycling
and recovery targets and limits the use of hazardous substances in both new vehicles
and replacement vehicle parts. This Directive therefore has a direct impact on the
automotive battery industry.
25.11 Effect of the Policy on Pricing of Resources / Services
The policy is intended to reflect the relative environmental performance in the price of
the product, e.g. secondary (recyclable) batteries will be cheaper. Higher cost will be
attached to the more polluting products.
Belgium has achieved high collection rates through a 1996 law that exempted
batteries from what was effectively an environmental tax (€0.50 + VAT per battery) if
a return system was established for the collecting and recycling of portable batteries.
Funding was met by a €0.1239 + VAT per battery charge to be paid by the consumer.
Whilst substitutes for portable NiCd batteries are developing rapidly (see section
25.8), these replacement chemistries are generally more expensive at the current
time. Some attempts have been made to estimate these additional costs, but given
the speed of technological advancement in this area it is inherently difficult to offer a
cost that is not either a broad range, or one that becomes outdated extremely quickly.
25.12 Evasion and Enforcement
Substantial enforcement will be required in order to create a level playing field for
battery manufacturers and reprocessors. There is concern within the industry of
illegal practice and this is likely to intensify as more players enter the market as
Member States strive for higher targets.
G&P Batteries, a battery collector and reprocessor in the UK, carried out research into
the mercury content of portable alkaline batteries found on the UK domestic market.
This analysis showed that a kilogram of European branded batteries fell well within
the proposed legal limits of cadmium and mercury levels, though astonishingly a
kilogram of batteries from the Far East revealed mercury levels of 255 ppm (The EU
Batteries Directive prohibits levels >5ppm), as well as elevated levels of cadmium
and benzene. These findings clearly show that for the Directive targets to be met, a
greater consideration may need to be given to the control of batteries imported from
countries where similar standards are not routinely applied.
If illegal practices are not squeezed out of the system, not only will there be
significant environmental risks, but the legitimate businesses will suffer as those
operating illegally will be able to undercut their prices. Illegal practice is also likely to
feedback to risk aversion from the market. National and international policing by
regulators is therefore crucial to the long-term viability of the industry.
25.13 Lessons Learned
Producer responsibility as a voluntary measure has had limited success as the
industry has protected its financial interests as far as possible. This has led to
compulsory measures that are now starting to bite in Europe and beyond.
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29/09/09