EPBA

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Battery collection in Europe Hans
Craen European Portable Battery
Association California Battery Workshop 29
April 2008
/
EPBA
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Content

• Introduction
• European legal framework
• Battery collection in Europe
• Impact assessments
• Conclusions

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Introduction

• EPBA is the leading organisation in Europe
  representing the interests of
• primary and rechargeable portable battery
  manufacturers
• those industries using portable batteries in
  their products
• and distributors of portable batteries active
  within the European Union
• EPBA enjoys excellent cooperation (regular
  trilateral exchanges and events) with its
  counterparts in
• USA - with the National Electrical Manufacturers
  Association and the Portable Rechargeable Battery
  Association
• Japan - with the Battery Association of Japan

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EPBA Key-Activities
Introduction

• Lobbying at EU level in the framework of the
  Battery Directive
• Support to European countries in the setting up
  of Compliance Organisations
• Preparing the transposition and implementation of
  the Battery Directive
• Monitoring of and responding to other European
  legislation impacting the battery industry (e.g.
  WEEE ROHS, REACH, LVD,)
• Monitoring of and responding to the UN
  legislation regarding transport of dangerous goods

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Achievements
Introduction

• Pioneered voluntary programme for the removal of
  mercury from alkaline and zinc batteries
  completed 1993,
• Developed alternative zero and low mercury
  containing batteries, lithium and zinc air
  types, to replace mercury oxide batteries
  containing 30 mercury circa 1985,
• Developed technology to recycle mercury free
  batteries in metals industry 1991 - 2000,
• Developed nickel metal hydride and lithium ion
  rechargeable batteries as alternatives to nickel
  cadmium circa 94 98

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Introduction
European Portable Battery Association
(EPBA) Interfaces with EU international bodies
Set up by members
20 National Battery Associations (NBA)
Interface with national Governments
14 Collection and Recycling Organisations (CRO)
Compliance with producer responsibility
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Content

• Introduction
• European legal framework
• Battery collection in Europe
• Impact assessments
• Conclusions

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European legal framework
EU Battery Legislation
Amendment to battery Directive
New Battery Directive Published
First EU battery Directive
Technical adaptation to battery Directive
New Battery Directive Implemented
1991
1993
1998
2006
2008
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European legal framework

• First Battery Directive (91/157)
• Main objective of Directive was to harmonise
  existing national legislation on collection of
  batteries
• ? Should be seen in context of Waste Directive
  (1975)
• Ban of Alkaline Manganese batteries containing
  gt0,025 Hg
• Separate collection for batteries containing
• - gt 25 mg Hg
• - gt 0,025 Cd
• - gt 0,4 Pb
• Marking requirements for batteries above
  indicated limits
• - Crossed-out dustbin
• - Chemical symbol
• Collected batteries could be recycled or disposed
  to land fill

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European legal framework

• Amendment to Battery Directive (93/86)
• This Directive set detailed marking arrangements
• Scope batteries containing Hg, Pb and Cd
• Specifications on size and placement

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European legal framework

• Technical adaptation of Battery Directive
  (98/101)
• Technical adaptation was result of industrys
  recommendations
• ? Industrys mercury elimination programme
• Ban of all batteries gt5ppm Hg
• ? This limit is based on analytical threshold
• ? lt5ppm Hg No Hg added but present as
  background level in materials used
  in batteries
• Exemption for button cells containing up to 2 Hg

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European legal framework

• New Battery Directive (2006/66)
• Scope all batteries (portable, automotive,
  industrial)
• Substance ban
• - Mercury gt 5ppm for all batteries
• ? exemption for button cells with no more
  than 2 Hg by weight
• - Cadmium gt 20ppm for portable batteries
• ? exemption for
• 1. emergency and alarm systems (incl.
  emergency lighting) 2.
  medical equipment
• 3. cordless power tools
• Collection targets for portable batteries
• - By September 2012 minimum 25 of sales by
  weight
• - By September 2016 minimum 45 of sales by
  weight

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European legal framework

• New Battery Directive (2006/66)
• Marking (1) Crossed-out dustbin
• (2) Chemical symbol
• (3) Capacity marking on portable and automotive
  batteries
• Financing No visible fee to end-users
• ? visible fee on invoice level will be
  possible
• Specific recycling targets - recycle 65 of
  contents of lead acid batteries, - recycle 75
  of contents of nickel cadmium batteries, -
  recycle 50 of contents of other batteries on
  average.

Member States have until 26 September 2008 to
transpose the new Directive into national law
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Content

• Introduction
• European legal framework
• Battery collection in Europe
• Impact assessments
• Conclusions

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Progress of Collection Laws in Europe
Battery collection in Europe
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Typical Collection Recycling System
CONSUMERS
COLLECTION at municipal sites, stores, schools,
etc
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Battery collection in Europe

• The involvement of industry is essential to
  ensure that a workable collection scheme can be
  set up

This expertise and know how have to be taken into
account in the full process in order to achieve

• ? Most suitable solution
• ? Ensuring high level of efficiency

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Battery collection in Europe

• Considerations based on the European experience
• The current experience in Europe shows the
  complexity of collecting portable batteries
• The actual results in collecting batteries vary
  from one country to another
• Some elements are essential for collecting
  portable batteries but impossible to control

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Battery collection in Europe
The current experience in Europe shows the
complexity of collecting portable batteries

• This is not fully reflected in the European
  Directive
• ? e.g. definition of producer
• Complexity, costs and environmental burdens of
  battery collection, sorting, transportation and
  recycling are often underestimated
• Battery collection requires not only the
  involvement of producers but also of
• ? government
• ? distributors
• ? consumers

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Battery collection in Europe
The actual results in collecting batteries vary
from one country to another

• A one size fits all solution is not possible
• The existing collection schemes in the European
  countries are not identical national
  specificities have to be taken into account
• In some countries progress in collection results
  is very slow or even declining
• 100 collection rate for portable batteries can
  never be achieved

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Battery collection in Europe
The actual results in collecting batteries vary
from one country to another (Contd)

• Different factors have an influence on the
  collection results
• - Legislative framework
• - Consumer awareness
• - Apropriate financial schemes
• - Geography
• - Government involvement
• - Social conditions
• -

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Battery collection in Europe
Some elements are essential for collecting
portable batteries but impossible to control

• Consumer involvement is essential for achieving
  results
• Consumer involvement is difficult to regulate for
  a product such as portable batteries small,easy
  to store away, easy to throw away
• Ensuring consumer awairness is a long and gradual
  process
• ? Other European waste legislation (WEEE,
  packaging, ELV,) which has been issued over the
  past years is helping raising the awairness among
  consumers

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Content

• Introduction
• European legal framework
• Battery collection in Europe
• Impact assessments
• Conclusions

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Impact Assessments

• Three recent studies have put into question the
  environmental benefits of collecting and
  recycling both hazardous and non-hazardous
  batteries.
• Environmental and economic impact assessments
  have been carried out in 2000, 2005 and 2006 for
  the Governments of France and UK.

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Impact Assessments

• UK Government, Department of Industry study Nov.
  2000 and French Environment Ministry study,
  April. 2006
• Prohibition of batteries containing mercury and
  cadmium can be justified since there are
  alternatives which do not present the same high
  level of risks to the environment.
• There are clear environmental benefits from
  collecting and recycling batteries containing Hg,
  Cd and Pb because of the toxicity of these
  metals, compared to land filling them.
• Transportation of waste batteries causes damage
  to the environment from global warming, resource
  depletion, smog and acidification. The extent of
  these negative effects is closely related to the
  distances the collected batteries have to be
  transported. It is therefore better for the
  environment to minimise these distances.
• It is better to recycle collected batteries than
  to land fill them.
• There is no benefit for the environment from
  collecting alkaline batteries separately from
  other household waste.

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Impact Assessments

• UK Government, Department of Environment study,
  10/2006
• Increasing collection and recycling of batteries
  is beneficial to the environment, due to the
  recovery of metals. However, this is achieved at
  high cost, almost 400 million compared against
  60 million for land fill.
• The benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  by 6000 t per year is small and costs 2550/t
  which compares with a greenhouse gas trading
  price today of around 9/t.
• Disposing batteries containing mercury, cadmium
  and lead in land fill sites or by incineration
  causes pollution of the environment. It is
  therefore better to collect and recycle batteries
  containing these metals.
• Likelihood of batteries such as alkaline that do
  not contain hazardous materials to pollute the
  environment through disposal in land fill sites
  is very small.

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Content

• Introduction
• European legal framework
• Battery collection in Europe
• Impact assessments
• Conclusions

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• The European legislative framework has evolved
  over a long period of time
• Every national collection system has its own
  characteristics even when based on the same
  European legislation
• Achieving results in battery collection is
• ? difficult (100 collection rate not
  possible)
• ? time dependent process
• Recent studies put into question the green
  option of collecting certain type of batteries

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Thank you for your attention Questions?