020 7001 6000The Batteries Directive must be transposed into UK law by September 2008. The aim of the Directive is to make businesses that supply batteries responsible for their collection and recycling, with the aim of improving the recovery rates of the metals used in the batteries. It also prohibits the use of "significant" quantities of hazardous metals like mercury and cadmium in the manufacture of batteries.
The Directive has set targets for the collection of all types of spent batteries. These are:
- At least 25% of all used batteries must be collected by 2012
- At least 45% of all used batteries must be collected by 2016
- At least 50% must be recycled
The Directive will call for collection points where consumers can hand in used batteries and new legislation is likely to prohibit final disposal of all industrial and automotive batteries into landfill or through incineration.
This indirectly means that all batteries from these sources must be recycled.
Bywaters collects mixed or segregated batteries.
For more information, visit the Netregs website
