x
Home
Search
Topics
Almanac
Science
Nature
People
History
Society
Signup
Login
HOME
TOPICS
ALMANAC
SCIENCE
NATURE
PEOPLE
HISTORY
SOCIETY
PHILOSOPHY
Battery Directive
Topic Home
Discussion
0
Definition
Encyclopedia
Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators and repealing Directive 91/157/EEC, commonly known as the Battery Directive, regulates the manufacture and disposal of batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...

 in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 with the aim of "improving the environmental performance of batteries and accumulators". In the 1980s, batteries commonly contained hazardous elements such as mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...

, cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...

, and lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...

, which when incinerated or landfilled, presented a risk to the environment and human health. Directive 91/157/EEC was adopted on 18 March 1991 to reduce these hazards by harmonizing Member States' laws on the disposal and recycling of batteries containing dangerous substances. Directive 2006/66/EC repealed Directive 91/157/EEC and sets maximum quantities for certain chemicals and metals in batteries; tasks Member States with encouraging improvements to the environmental performance of batteries; requires proper waste management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...

 of these batteries, including recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...

, collections
Waste collection
Waste collection is the component of waste management which results in the passage of a waste material from the source of production to either the point of treatment or final disposal...

, "take-back" programs, and disposal; sets waste battery collection rates; sets financial responsibility for programs; and makes rules covering most phases of this legislation, including labeling, marking, documentation, reviews, and other administrative and procedural matters.

General

This directive, like many other European compliance directives, is not directly applicable, but requires legislative action from European Member States. Though European directives are legislation, European Union Member States must comply with them to avoid legal action that the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

 can bring to bear if they don't. However Member States retain some freedom by what means they implement a directive's requirements.

The battery directive has the objective of improving the environmental performance of batteries by regulating the use of certain substances in the manufacture of batteries e.g., lead, lead-acid, mercury, cadmium, etc., and setting standards for the waste management of these batteries. Many European member states have passed battery and waste management laws. Among those nations are: Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, and others. Finland and Denmark have supported a total prohibition of battery cadmium. Belgium and Sweden have battery recycling rates of 59% and 55%. With the finalization of the 2006 Battery Directive, European states now have specific guidelines to which to make rules to comport.

Early Waste Directives

The first of the western European directives dealing with waste management was the
"Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on Waste." It didn't mention batteries or chemicals but specified the regulation of "particular categories of waste," which was later referenced to by both Battery Directives as a legislative or legal basis. The first version of the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...

 Directive on Batteries and Accumulators 91/157/EEC was approved on March 18, 1991. It covered many battery types, including industrial, automotive, dry-cell, lead-acid, alkaline, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hyrdride, lithium, lithium-ion, mercury, etc. The first program in the directive was set for a six-year duration, starting in 1993.

Provisions of the first Battery Directive

The 1991 battery Directive's "Article 3; MI; Annex I" stated the prohibition of marketing:

1. Batteries on the market after September 18, 1992 with:
  • 1.A. more than 25 mg of mercury per cell, except alkaline manganese batteries
  • 1.B. more than 0.025 % cadmium by weight
  • 1.C. more than 0.4 % lead by weight


2. Alkaline manganese batteries placed on the market after September 18, 1992 containing more than 0.025 % of mercury by weight

3. Batteries on the market after January 1, 1999 with more than 0.0005 % mercury by weight

Since battery recycling rates then were about 5% the directive sought to improve these rates. It set up recycling goals: separate collection and recycling; recycling/collection consumer information. The responsibility for providing separated recycling collection was largely given to the manufacturers. Recycling requirements are found in Articles 4, 6, and 7.

There were marking provisions, including manufacturer responsibility for marking on the battery products themselves the contained substances and recycling information.

Resistance to the Battery Directive

Regulation was met with heavy resistance. Disputed were deadlines; target recycling rates; implementation dates; weight percentage limits; applicable product groups; financial responsibility for public information campaigns and waste management (and its financial impact); exclusions of financial responsibility given to small producer businesses; and personnel safety from decreased reliability of "greener" batteries.

In a non-environmental battery marking question, automotive battery makers questioned markings on batteries relating to battery performance, arguing that the quantity of a car battery's electric current output to start a vehicle in extreme weather was a very good indicator of battery performance.

After poor implementation of the first Battery Directive, work began on a new directive that would more emphasize battery end-of-life waste management through mandated and better-structured collection and recycling programs. It was also acknowledged that more research on certain substance was needed before harsher, more complete, and, arguably, unrealistic, bans. Thus the onus was on everyone in the waste management chain, from producer to the consumer, rather than affecting product design with substance bans that manufacturers claimed are unreasonable.

Conciliation Committee's compromise

Consultations to revisions of the first battery Directive started in 1997, giving all interested parties a voice in legislation and policy, especially in assessing the directive's economic, environmental, and social impact. In February 2003 an open stakeholders consultation process was started, which published its findings online, and culminated in a meeting in Brussels, in July 2003. The waters were tested by asking for Extended Impact Assessments for different scenarios of proposed ranges of regulation. For example, what would be the impact in establishing spent battery collection targets of from 30% to 80% or the impact of SEPARATE spent battery collection of from 70% to 100%? Entities were asked how these goals could be met and to propose collection responsibility models.

The "green" viewpoint (and perhaps that of the Conciliation Committee's) was that the previous Directive had been limited in scope, while groups on the other side set forth reasons for less stringency. Those arguing for broadening the scope claimed that if batteries with certain metals were not banned carte blanche then the waste management effort would be hurt by confusion and perhaps inconvenience to the public.

There were at least six drafts the 2003 version, which was equivalent to a second battery directive. The 2003 revision, Council Directive 2003/0282/COD, a July 2006 "conciliation agreement," was a compromise between the European Council and European Parliament, and came after three years of draft revisions. It was welcomed by entities like the European Portable Battery Association (EPBA), that favored less stringency. As in other models of European compliance legislation, a corporation or organizations like the EPBA participates in working groups with members that include, among other players, legislators, large enterprises—in this case, battery-makers—trade associations, and non-governmental organizations. The Directive's overall stated objective was still to protect the public interest with a cleaner environment by minimizing the negative impact on the environment of batteries, especially in their waste cycle. Depending on the viewpoint, it was also something of a compromise between 1. manufacturers and distributors, and 3. environmental proponents.

2006 Battery Directive

The most recent Battery Directive, which entered into force on 26 September 2006, gave European Member States until 26 September 2008 to implement national laws and rules on batteries (Art.26 - Transposition). Some nations led the pack and had already started programs and passed laws in accordance with the spirit and specifications of earlier battery directives.

With the exception of "button" cells with mercury content of no more than 2% by weight, the 2006 Battery Directive restates the earlier battery directives' prohibition of marketing all batteries with more than 0.0005% mercury and 0.002% cadmium by weight. However, some exceptions exist (see below). The directive also mandates symbols for battery labels that indicate the battery's chemical contents if lead, mercury or cadmium.

Lead is no longer prohibited from batteries.

It states that it must be easy for consumers to remove batteries from electronic products.

There should be initiatives to reduce heavy metal in batteries, promote using less toxic substances in batteries, less batteries thrown in regular household waste, research initiatives in the above and in recycling, separation of battery types in disposal. Consumers should be informed of the dangers in non-compliant disposal of old batteries.

Battery disposal

Disposal of automotive and industrial batteries by leaving in landfills or by incineration "should be prohibited". (Directive preamble point #8)

Recycling and collection of batteries

Article 7 requires Member States to maximize the "separation" of batteries from regular municipal waste and requires spent batteries to be collected separately.

So that fewer batteries reach landfills, recycling and collection targets are called for.

The collection program is found in Annex I. It is proposed that member states set their own country's standards using the Battery Directive as a guide for minimum levels. These levels are stated in terms of percents of prior annual sales. Article 3(17) states, " 'collection rate' means, for a given Member State in a given calendar year, the percentage obtained by dividing the weight of waste portable batteries and accumulators collected in accordance with Article 8(1) of this Directive or with Directive 2002/96/EC in that calendar year by the average weight of portable batteries and accumulators that producers either sell directly to end-users or deliver to third parties in order to sell them to end-users in that Member State during that calendar year and the preceding two calendar years. "

Member States are required to provide collection sites that are accessible and free of charge to the public (Art. 8). Battery distributors may be required to provide this at Member States' discretion (Art. 8(2)(a)). Battery manufacturers may not refuse to take back waste batteries from end-consumers, irrespective of their chemical composition or origin (Art. 8(3)).

Waste battery collection rate targets are specified in Article 10. Minimum targets of 25% of battery sales and 45% of battery sales by 26 September 2012 and 2016 respectively(Art. 10(2)).

Collections rates are to be monitored annually as outlined in Annex I scheme, with yearly reporting to the Commission. There may be some leeway given in the form of "transitional agreements" if a nation has special circumstances. (Art. 10 (4))

Exclusions and exemptions

There are many exclusions granted to manufacturers and certain product types. In some cases these are for batteries used in safety or other critical-use applications, e.g., miners' caps.

Exemptions for the following are still in place:
  • Art. 2 - Space, military, munitions, and "essential security" applications

  • Art. 4 - Mercury Ban: Button cells with 2% or less mercury content by weight

  • Art. 4 - Cadmium Ban: Emergency, emergency lighting, emergency doors, and alarm systems; medical equipment; cordless power tools

  • Art. 14 - Incinerator and landfill disposal ban: Residues of batteries that have gone through appropriate treatment as per Art. 12(1) may be disposed of in landfills or by incineration.

  • Art. 18 - possibility to exclude small producers from the requirements of financing

Inclusions

Batteries imported from third countries under non-discriminatory conditions are included (Art. 19).

Economic Instruments

Member states may use instruments like differential tax rates to encourage less toxic batteries and recycling (Art. 9)

Implementation reports

Member states are required to submit implementation reports to the commission every three years (Art. 22).

Labelling

In Art. 21 marking must indicate separate collections or recycling and the heavy metal content. Labels should state collection information and chemical content of batteries. They should show a symbol of the "crossed-out" wheeled recycling bin (Annex II) to indicate that the battery should NOT go in the bin. This symbol size is specified as a percent of battery area on its largest side (3%), except for cylindrical batteries, where the symbol should be 1.5% of total surface area.

Penalties

Member states will set up measures for "effective, proportionate, and dissuasive" penalties for actions not comporting to the battery Directive and apprise the European Commission of these measures and any changes (Art. 25).

Battery Collection Targets

Annex I Battery Collection Targets mentioned in Art. 10 above:
Annex I - MONITORING OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE ARTICLE 10 COLLECTION TARGETS
Year Data collection Data collection Calculation Reporting Requirement
X*+1 Sales in year 1 (S1) .. .. ..
X+2 Sales in year 2 (S2) .. .. ..
X+3 Sales in year 3 (S3) Collection in year 3 (C3) Collection rate (CR3) = 3*C3/(S1+S2+S3)
 ..
X+4 Sales in year 4 (S4) Collection in year 4 (C4) Collection rate (CR4) = 3*C4/(S2+S3+S4)
(Target set at 25%.)
 ..
X+5 Sales in year 5 (S5) Collection in year 5 (C5) Collection rate (CR5) = 3*C5/(S3+S4+S5) CR4
X+6 Sales in year 6 (S6) Collection in year 6 (C6) Collection rate (CR6) = 3*C6/(S4+S5+S6)
 CR5
X+7 Sales in year 7 (S7) Collection in year 7 (C7) Collection rate (CR7) = 3*C7/(S5+S6+S7)
 CR6
X+8 Sales in year 8 (S8) Collection in year 8 (C8) Collection rate (CR8) = 3*C8/(S6+S7+S8)
(Target set at 45%.)
 CR7
X+9 Sales in year 9 (S9) Collection in year 9 (C9) Collection rate (CR9) = 3*C9/(S7+S8+S9) CR8
X+10 Sales in year 10 (S10) Collection in year 10 (C10) Collection rate (CR10) = 3*C10/(S8+S9+10) CR9
X+11 Etc. Etc. Etc. CR10
Etc. .. .. .. ..

  • Year X is the year including the date mentioned in Article 26."

Related laws

The Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act
Mercury-containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act
In the United States, the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act was signed into law on May 13, 1996...

 of 1996 is a similar law in the United States, banning the sale of mercury-containing batteries (except small button cell
Button cell
A watch battery or button cell is a small single cell battery shaped as a squat cylinder typically 5 to 12 mm in diameter and 1 to 6 mm high—like a button on a garment, hence the name. Button cells are used to power small portable electronics devices such as wrist watches, pocket...

s), and requiring labeling for disposal and recycling. The U.S. state of California and New York City require recycling of rechargeable batteries, and along with the state of Maine require the recycling of cell phones.

Similar European directives protecting the environment and health, parallel to the Battery Directive, are the Restriction of Hazardous Substances
Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive
The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment 2002/95/EC was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law in each member state...

 (RoHS), Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive is the European Community directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment which, together with the RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, became European Law in February 2003, setting collection, recycling and recovery targets for all...

 (WEEE) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directives.

See also

  • Battery recycling
    Battery recycling
    Battery recycling is a recycling activity that aims to reduce the number of batteries being disposed as municipal solid waste. Batteries contain a number of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, their dumping has raised concern over risks of soil contamination and water pollution.-Battery recycling by...

  • Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals
    Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals
    Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals is a European Union Regulation of 18 December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment...

     (REACH)
  • Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive
    Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive
    The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment 2002/95/EC was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law in each member state...

     (RoHS)
  • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
    Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
    The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive is the European Community directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment which, together with the RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, became European Law in February 2003, setting collection, recycling and recovery targets for all...

     (WEEE)
  • List of European Union directives

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
Silverdale Interactive © 2024. All Rights Reserved.
 
x
OK