Waste Portable Batteries Collection Trials

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Waste Portable Batteries Collection Trials
Chris Davey Manager Local Authority Relations
Batteries Programme Manager
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Introduction

• The size of the problem
• WRAPs agreed objectives
• Current recycling activity
• Market research
• Kerbside collection trials
• Budgets
• The next steps
• Summary

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The Targets

• The current (!) version of the proposed Batteries
  Directive includes two main collection targets
  for waste portable batteries
• - A Collection Rate of 25 6 years after entry
  into force of the Directive
• - A Collection Rate of 45 10 years after entry
  into force of the Directive
• And several recycling targets
• - 75 recycling by weight for Nickel-cadmium
  batteries and accumulators
• - 65 recycling by weight for collected
  lead-acid batteries
• - 50 recycling by weight for all other batteries

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Battery Sales in the UK

• Figures vary for portable batteries sales
• Most primary cells are AA (69.4) and AAA
  (13.5)
• SEPA report quotes over 656,000,000 primary
  batteries in 2002 and 6,100,000 rechargeable
  batteries in 2001 across the UK
• This equates to about 21,000 tonnes pa
• Recent BBMA figures show 22,000 tonnes pa but
  they do not include every battery producer
• Defra figures quote about 30,000 tonnes pa

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Which means

• at 25 between 5250 tonnes and 7500 tonnes
  after 6 years (avg 106 g/person)
• at 45 between 9450 tonnes and 13500 tonnes
  after 10 years (avg 191g/person)
• Bristol scheme has achieved 47g/person after
  two years
• Maximum tonnage per collection round per day
  for 2500 population (1000 household) is 10
  KGs at 200 grams/capita/pa capture
• Therefore collecting 500 KGs per round/day per
  year

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WRAPs Agreed Objectives

• To identify any real or perceived barriers to
  increased collection of used consumer batteries
  and to remove them
• To pilot a range of incentive and non-incentive
  based collection schemes to assess the cost and
  effectiveness of such schemes
• To facilitate the development of infrastructure
  for the collection, consolidation, sorting and
  recycling of used primary and secondary
  batteries
• To identify further areas of work to increase
  the collection and recycling of primary and
  secondary cells
• To assess the disposal and recycling routes for
  industrial batteries and to remove any barriers
  to increasing collection and recycling
• To identify barriers to the recycling of
  compact sealed lead acid batteries

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First Year Projects

• Study into existing collections of used
  portable batteries (primarily local authority
  schemes) Complete - just over 50 tonnes
  reported in 2004/05
• Development and evaluation of a number of trial
  kerbside collection schemes
• Development and evaluation of drop-off schemes
  (retailer take-back)
• Possibility of postal scheme
• NB All schemes to be assessed for
  cost- effectiveness, recovery and capture rates,
  ease of introduction/adoption and investment in
  communications needed to meet target levels

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Current local authority collection information
(1)

• Study carried out in early 2005
• All (476) local authorities contacted with 258
  providing a response
• Only 37 battery collection schemes most of
  which were HWRC/CA schemes
• Only three schemes reporting collections of
  more than 5 tonnes pa (Bristol, Lancashire and
  Cheshire) with all other report tonnages of less
  4 tonnes pa

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Current local authority collection information
(2)

• Only 2 schemes reported more than 10 tonnes
  per year
• Assumed grams per person

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Market Research

• Commissioned in early September 2005
• 1500 sample telephone survey living in 12
  local authority areas in England, Wales,
  Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Carried out by MRUK Ltd on behalf of WRAP
• Margin of error - 2.5 sampling error at the
  95 confidence limit for overall sample, well
  within ODPM guidelines

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Initial Findings (1)

• Nearly three quarters of people throw used
  batteries away immediately
• Over four fifths of people put used batteries
  in their normal bin
• More than two thirds of people have never even
  thought about the possibility of recycling
  batteries
• Like many aspects of recycling nearly half of
  people are of the opinion that batteries
  collected for recycling end up on landfills
  anyway!

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Initial Findings (2)

• 9 out of 10 people said they would be
  encouraged to recycle their batteries if they
  were collected from their home
• 7 out of eight people thought it would help if
  they had a special container in which to store
  used batteries
• Interestingly younger people (16 24) are the
  least likely to throw used batteries away
  immediately, with the over 65s being most likely

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Conclusions for Market Research

• In the UK the idea of kerbside (door to door)
  collections for recycling appears to be
  important
• Some form of containment device also appears
  to be helpful
• But we also appear to need system to allow
  people to do something with their waste
  batteries as soon as they become waste.

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Rationalising the project structure
Kerbside Trials
Drop-off schemes
Other trial schemes
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Rationalising the project structure
Kerbside Trials
Drop-off schemes
Other trial schemes
Transport
Sorting
Media
Evaluation
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Kerbside Collection Trials (1)

• 12 schemes selected for the trials
• Aberdeenshire Council,
• BTCV Falkirk,
• Stockton-on-Tees BC
• Rabbit Recycling (North Barnsley) (Barnsley
  MBC)
• Kerbside Calderdale
• Emerge (Trafford MBC)
• Energywise (Liverpool City Council)
• Bryson House (Banbridge Armagh City DCs)
• ECCO (Harlow DC)
• Groundwork Caerphilly (Caerphilly CBC)
• Eastleigh BC
• East Devon DC

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Kerbside Collection Trials (2)

• Over 350,000 households included
• Collections will be part of normal recycling
  activity at same frequency as other dry
  recyclables
• Schemes will collect weekly, fortnightly,
  monthly and even three monthly
• Most schemes will use plastic collection bags
  two will use boxes

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The Collection Bags

• Clear recycled plastic to allow crews to see
  contents
• Sealable
• Perforated for easy opening at sorting plant
• Branded to match national recycling
  communications schemes
• Supported by leaflet adapted to each scheme
• Boxes two different designs

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Transport and Sorting / Recycling

• Each collection scheme will be supplied with a
  lidded plastic pallet box.
• When (nearly) full it will be exchanged by the
  transport company for an empty pallet box.
• The full box will be delivered to the sorting
  contractor who will maintain batch integrity
  until that box is sorted.
• The data on every batch sorted will be
  supplied to WRAP and the collection partners.
• The sorted batteries will then be despatched
  for recycling, the waste for disposal, used
  bags will be sent for recycling.

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Budget

• Sorting and recycling costs are expected to be
  the largest single on-going cost
• The Media costs will be the largest element
  of the launch costs as they will include the
  creation of concepts and the production of the
  collection containers
• Kerbside vehicle adaptations, crew costs,
  depot handling fees, etc., to be paid by WRAP
  subject to agreement
• Evaluation work to be done by WRAP
• The key feature is to identify the REAL cost
  of collecting batteries through kerbside
  collection schemes including labour, storage and
  effective communications

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The Next Steps

• Get the kerbside collection projects
  going! (March to June 2006)
• Development and tendering of drop-off trial
  collection schemes (late March 2006)
• Consider what other means there may be to
  collect batteries from householders, in
  particular in rural areas without kerbside
  schemes.
• Jointly with DEFRA and DTI establish how to
  identify all producers who place batteries on
  the UK market.

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Summary

• The kerbside collection trials are aimed at low
  initial costs with potential to achieve
  economies of scale from an early stage
• Transport and sorting contractors encouraged
  to suggest innovations
• Working with all major stakeholders
• Building on existing experience where possible

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• Any Questions?
• chris.davey_at_wrap.org.uk
• 01295 819915