Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2010

The EC Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators Directive (2006/66/EC) was published in September 2006, giving all European Member States two years to transpose it into national law.

The Directive aims to promote high recycling rates of waste batteries, and improved environmental performance of all operators. For example, producers, distributors, end-users and treatment and recycling facilities for waste batteries.

This is a producer responsibility Directive. It requires producers of batteries to finance the net costs arising from collection, treatment and recycling of batteries, regardless of the date that they were placed on the market.

The UK Government implemented the ’waste battery provisions’ and ’single market provisions’ of the EC Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators Directive (2006/66/EC) through two separate regulations.

The Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 which became law in September 2008. These regulations place restrictions on mercury and cadmium and apply labelling requirements for new batteries to aid consumer choice and recycling including the crossed out wheeled bin symbol.

The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 which became law on 5 May 2009. These regulations introduce treatment standards and "producer responsibility" including targets for the collection and recovery of waste batteries:

• minimum collection targets of 25% by 2012 and 45% by 2016 for waste portable batteries
• prohibition on disposal by landfill or incineration of all industrial and automotive batteries
• requirements for battery retailers to offer take back of waste portable batteries

Retailers also have a mandatory role to play. They must offer take back in store when selling new batteries.

Seton will accept returns of batteries, purchased from Seton. Please note that Batteries cannot be sent back to us in the post.