Legislation on Batteries
Batteries are regulated by The Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 (as amended) and the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 (as amended).
Batteries are regulated to:
- Tightly control their levels of mercury, cadmium and lead
- Assist their recycling through clear labeling
- Ensure that on disposal they are properly treated and recycled, rather than being sent for incineration or to landfill
Targets for recycling are in place:
- 45% of portable batteries placed on the market to be recycled of which:
- 65% by average weight of lead-acid batteries, including recycling of the lead content
- 75% by average weight of nickel-cadmium batteries and accumulators, including recycling of the cadmium has to be recycled;
- Recycling of 50% by average weight of other waste batteries and accumulators
- 65% by average weight of lead-acid batteries, including recycling of the lead content
For Industrial/automotive batteries
- Ban on landfill and incineration – therefore all batteries to be recycled
- Recycling rate of 65% to be achieved
The Waste Batteries and Accumulators (Amendment)
Legislation on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is regulated to reduce the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) incinerated or sent to landfill sites. Reduction is achieved through various measures which encourage the recovery, reuse, and recycling of products and components.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 (as amended) are the underpinning UK legislation.
The regulations cover EEE defined in 14 broad categories; each with it’s own Recovery and recycling target;
Recovery and recycling targets for categories of WEEE
| Category | Description | Recovery | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Large household appliances | 85% | 80% |
| 2 | Small household appliances | 75% | 55% |
| 3 | IT and telecommunications equipment | 80% | 70% |
| 4 | Consumer equipment | 80% | 70% |
| 5 | Lighting equipment | 75% | 55% |
| 6 | Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools) | 75% | 55% |
| 7 | Toys, leisure and sports equipment | 75% | 55% |
| 8 | Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products) | 75% | 55% |
| 9 | Monitoring and control instruments | 75% | 55% |
| 10 | Automatic dispensers | 85% | 80% |
| 11 | Display screens | 80% | 70% |
| 12 | Cooling appliances | 85% | 80% |
| 13 | Gas discharge lamps and LED light sources | no target | 80% |
| 14 | Photovoltaic panels | 80% | 70% |
Other Relevant Legislation
The hazardous nature of waste batteries and certain categories of WEEE mean that they are governed by many different kinds of legislation to ensure safe storage, handling, transportation and recycling.
- Duty of Care
- The carriage of dangerous goods
- The Classification, Labeling and Packaging regs
- Waste Regulations
- Hazardous Waste Regulations
As a producer of waste you have a duty of care to ensure that such waste is correctly stored on your premises and that it is being transported compliantly to its final destination for disposal or recycling.
You must be able to prove that you have considered the waste hierarchy and checked the credentials of your waste collection and disposal company for full compliance with all current legislation.
The waste producer remains responsible for the description of the waste and its disposal. It is therefore extremely important that any waste that is collected from your premises is adequately and accurately described.
