Background

The Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC came into force in September 2006 repealing Directive 91/157/EEC. The Directive must be implemented since 26 September 2008. Among other, the Directive promotes a high rate of collection and recycling of waste batteries and accumulators and improvement in the environmental performance of all involved in the life-cycle of batteries and accumulators, including their recycling and disposal.

Member States have to ensure that, from 26 September 2009 at the latest, batteries and accumulators that have been collected are treated and recycled using the best available techniques. Recycling must exclude energy recovery.

Minimum treatment requirements and recycling efficiencies are laid down in Annex III to the Directive. Detailed rules regarding the calculation of recycling efficiencies shall be added to Annex III no later than 26 March 2010.

Treatment and recycling may take place outside the Member State concerned or even outside the Community, provided EU legislation on the shipment of waste is respected and treatment and recycling outside the EU adheres to treatment requirements that are equivalent to those within the EU.

Against this background the Directorate General for Environment of the European Commission has launched a project with the objectives

1. to collect and assess information and develop a possible method for the calculation of minimum recycling efficiencies,
2. to establish criteria to assess the conditions equivalent to the requirements of the Batteries Directive recycling processes outside the EU,
3. to provide information on Best Available Technology (BAT) and a description of treatment requirements.

In order to achieve a broadly accepted project outcome, the results shall also be based on an intensive stakeholder consultation which includes collection of expertise, information exchange and discussion of project results. A workshop will be held in January 2009 in Brussels where the achieved project results will be presented and discussed

The project is being carried out by ESWI* under the lead of BiPRO GmbH, Munich on behalf of the European Commission.

Last update: November 2008