Table of Contents
The directive on accumulators and batteries, also called the battery directive, refers to the current text in force concerning the disposal and manufacture of batteries in the EU (European Union).
The EU battery directive aims at improving the quality, preservation, and of environment. It also covers batteries with hazardous elements, like lead, cadmium, or mercury that, when landfilled or incinerated, present a risk to human health and the environment.
In addition, it sets a maximum quantity for a certain type of chemical and metal in batteries, as well as sets targets for financial liability.
Objectives
European Union regulations on batteries aim at making batteries more sustainable throughout their life cycle, from sourcing materials to repurposing, recycling, and collection.
In the energy context, new regulations promote the development of a sustainable and competitive battery industry that supports independence from fuel imports and clean energy transition in Europe.
Who Does Battery Regulations Affect?
As per the updated battery regulations, every EV (electric vehicle) or industrial battery in the European Union market with a capacity of more than 2kWh may need a battery passport. That means, no matter the battery’s origin, it will still need a battery passport to be included in the EU market.
All the parties must put batteries in the market to ascertain that the required data is entered into a digital record and ensure the details are up to date and correct. A battery passport may need input from the following:
- Battery service, repurposing, and refurbishing companies
- Automotive OEMs
- Battery producers
- Module producers
- Cell producers
What Points European Union Battery Directive Has
The directive regulations define all the requirements for collection programs and recycling. They also limit the maximum permitted cadmium/mercury content in batteries and govern the obligations of consumers, distributors, and manufacturers.
For instance, an energy source should have a mercury content of over 0.0005% and a cadmium content of over 0.002%. Exceptions of this regulation exist for a portable battery or an emergency system, like emergency lighting.
Services of European Union Battery Directive
Experts with global expertise in environmental and health regulations work to identify a company’s compliance requirements.
Some experts also provide consulting, battery collection & recycling, registration, and labeling solutions to comply with the battery directive requirements. Other services of the European Union battery directive are:
- Identification of the ongoing reporting requirements
- Implementation of recycling and collection system
- Testing for all the restricted materials
- Determination of the compliance requirements
- Product documentation and labeling
Why Care about Battery Replaceability and Removability?
A recent trend of embedding batteries in a product has made it impossible to remove them. Clearly, this drives up waste and expenditure.
So why care about battery replaceability and removability?
The answer to this is very simple – boost the EU economy, save resources, and empower consumers. It is simple to understand the reason batteries are environmentally impactful, given that 43% of phone repairs involve replacing batteries.
Final Remarks!
For an EU market, cutting-edge innovations and long-term investments depend on a legislative framework, which can provide flexibility and predictability. The transition of the current battery framework into European regulations is key to ensuring clarity and predictability for every economic operator.
