Only 27 600 tons originating from the 27 EU Member-States
have been recycled

Brussels, 1st September 2009 – EBRA, the leading association of the battery recycling, urged the governments where the 2006 Battery Directive has been recently implemented to intensify their efforts for achieving the mandatory collection rate of 25% on schedule(2012).

In spite of the transposition of the 2006 European Battery Directive in almost all the Member States, only 27 600 tons of used portable batteries originating from these countries have been processed in 2008 by the EBRA members:

-22 800 tons of primary batteries (including lithium primary and button cells)

-4 800 tons of portable rechargeable batteries (Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-ion)

Compared to the 2007 figures (27 200 t of used portable batteries recycled), EBRA is disappointed to observe globally a stagnation (+ 1%) due to the decrease of the quantities of used primary batteries recycled (-4,5%). During the same period, the quantity of used rechargeable batteries processed has increased of + 44 % !

The impact of the transposition of the directive – the deadline was October 2008 -is not sensible for the moment. In September 2009, all the EU Member-States have fully implemented the 2006 Battery Directive in time (the deadline was the 26 September 2008) except 4 countries : France, Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia.

Compared to the 190 000 tons of portable batteries marketed each year in Europe, the 27 600 tons recycled by EBRA members in 2008 correspond to a European EBRA ratio of 14,5 % in average.

Based on producers organisations or authorities statistics, +/-8 000 tons of portables batteries have been additionally collected in Europe and processed by non-Ebra members or disposed of. It is the case in Germany, in Italy, in the Netherlands, in Poland, in France or in Spain…Globally the quantities collected in Europe are equivalent to 35 000 tons.

EBRA
Place des Chasseurs Ardennais, 20
B – 1030 Brussels (Belgium)
Phone: + 32 (0)2 743 41 52 · fax: + 32 (0)2 742 17 85
E-mail: ebra@ebrarecycling.org

EBRA regrets to see some used batteries still collected for landfilling in 2008 and highlights the producers and the Member-States to guarantee that all the used batteries collected are processed with high standards : traceability of the pollutants through IPPC, registration to Reach of the recovered metals put on the market, recycling efficiencies target (as soon as the methodology is defined).

7 Member-States have still reached the first Directive target of 25 % for 2012 -Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Sweden and The Netherlands – and 6 others could reach it on time : Denmark, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Spain and Latvia. The situation is more questionable in the 3 other « historical » Member-States : Finland, Italy, UK. For 11 new EU Member-States,collection has just started and the quantities collected in 2008 are still very low.

According to EBRA, “the first collection target of 25% to be achieved in 2012 will be very difficult to be reached in some countries”. 25 % of collection rate in the 27 Member-States corresponds to the collection of 50 000 tons of used portable batteries.

For further information, please contact
Emmanuel Beaurepaire -Secretary General
Phone : +33 1413423 45
mobile: + 33 6118040 48
E-mail : ebra@ebrarecycling.org

EBRA
Place des Chasseurs Ardennais, 20
B – 1030 Brussels (Belgium)
Phone: + 32 (0)2 743 41 52 · fax: + 32 (0)2 742 17 85
E-mail: ebra@ebrarecycling.org