EU Agrees Battery Recycling Law

First thought was, of all the easy things to recycle we don’t do it.

According to the BBC only six EU countries had recycling schemes to collect all types of batteries in place in 2002. Top was Belgium with 59% recycled and bottom was France with 16%. The UK was not even on the list.

So hence the EU directive calling for collection points at no extra cost to the consumer. It evens comes with collection targets and insists any cost from the schemes be borne by the industry. All EU countries now have two years to pass the directive into national law.

This is fantastic news for the environment as most batteries contain toxic metals such as nickel, mercury and cadmium which are extremely harmful to the environment and us.

Even better news is that batteries containing high levels of nickel or mercury will be banned except in exceptional circumstances.

I will leave the last word to EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

“The faster we start to collect and recycle batteries, the better for the environment.”

Tags: European Union, Batteries, EU directive, Stavros Dimas, environment